# Hawaiian Koa?



## Joshm28 (Apr 18, 2021)

Local woodworking store had a bunch of these blanks in a bin labeled Koa. They were priced right so I picked two up. It does not however look like any of the koa wood I have seen online. Thoughts?


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## Arn213 (Apr 18, 2021)

Can’t tell much from the one photo and the wax cover. It appears to be kou (based on the color of the heartwood and the sapwood) as I have several that has wax colors like that- which I can post a photo of. Check with @Don Ratcliff as he has worked with it and he has posted raw to finish pieces of it. 

See photo’s below for reference. Kou waxed block. Kou short log book-matched which is the actual raw color.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Don Ratcliff (Apr 19, 2021)

Kou is my favorite wood to turn. It comes out amazing. That looks like kou to me, sad that the cut off the sap wood, gives it a great 2 tone look

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 1 | Agree 1 | Way Cool 2


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## Don Ratcliff (Apr 19, 2021)

Joshm28 said:


> Local woodworking store had a bunch of these blanks in a bin labeled Koa. They were priced right so I picked two up. It does not however look like any of the koa wood I have seen online. Thoughts?
> View attachment 207508


Kou is really hard to find and doesn't make it off island often. It's likely the person that labeled it made an assumption that Kou was misspelled and wrote Koa. Go back and buy the entire bin, you wont regret it.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Jonkou (Apr 19, 2021)

Real hard to determine from that pic. Guessing it is koa if labeled as such in a woodworking store, not all koa has the looks and chatoyance we expect to see when the subject is brought up. There’s lots of bland koa too as there is in any other wood. It may be koa but not Hawaiian koa too. As far as being kou, again hard to determine from the pic. Kou is much softer than koa so you will know when you work it. Most people/woodworkers have never heard of kou so wouldn’t think it would not be offered for sale in Alabama. Being that you found it close to home ask the store what the history is on it.

Worked a lot of kou back in the day, so much so that it became my work call sign and still use it today... one more reason to miss Hawai’i nei.


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## Don Ratcliff (Apr 19, 2021)

Jonkou said:


> Real hard to determine from that pic. Guessing it is koa if labeled as such in a woodworking store, not all koa has the looks and chatoyance we expect to see when the subject is brought up. There’s lots of bland koa too as there is in any other wood. It may be koa but not Hawaiian koa too. As far as being kou, again hard to determine from the pic. Kou is much softer than koa so you will know when you work it. Most people/woodworkers have never heard of kou so wouldn’t think it would not be offered for sale in Alabama. Being that you found it close to home ask the store what the history is on it.
> 
> Worked a lot of kou back in the day, so much so that it became my work call sign and still use it today... one more reason to miss Hawai’i nei.


Koa grain carries into the sapwood and when a finish is put on (in this case wax) never gets that dark. I'm putting my money on kou and a rookie shelf stalker making assumptions.

I have a few tree trimmers that will call me when/if they cut a kou tree. Sadly Koa is easier to find and that's saying something.


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## Don Ratcliff (Apr 19, 2021)

@Joshm28 to settle this I think you should send me some to really make sure. Or two...

Reactions: Funny 1 | +Karma 1


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## Arn213 (Apr 19, 2021)

We need to see more photo’s like I mentioned on my earlier post. I am feeling confident it is ko’u. Koa will never get that dark even if it the dark chocolate heartwood version was covered by paraffin wax. But, the kou you have in your hand could possible not be the Hawaiian grown version. It also grows in another country and also is referred to as cordia subcordata from a Kalimasada tree. They make bracelet beads (and prayer beads) out of the heartwood. The difference from what I can see visually is the Hawaiian version has richness and brilliance in it’s raw state when looking at the heartwood- the non Hawaiian version is paler and slightly subdued in comparison.


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## Joshm28 (Apr 19, 2021)

So the guy told me it was almost extinct which would make it Ko’u. It was “found” in an old warehouse in South Carolina and it might be the only blanks of it’s type in the country. (Again what I was told) I turned a small bowl. Maybe this will help identification possible.

Reactions: Like 2 | EyeCandy! 3 | Way Cool 1


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## Don Ratcliff (Apr 20, 2021)

Kou, no doubt and great turning

Reactions: Like 1


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## Gonzalodqa (Apr 20, 2021)

It looks really pretty

Reactions: Like 1


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## T. Ben (Apr 20, 2021)




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## Joshm28 (Apr 20, 2021)

Thanks guys.


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## Mike Hill (Apr 20, 2021)

Joshua, if you buy it all and don't need some of it, I sure would like a piece!


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## Don Ratcliff (Apr 20, 2021)

Mike Hill said:


> Joshua, if you buy it all and don't need some of it, I sure would like a piece!


Man, you just can't help yourself. You don't need ALL the wood. I'm picking your stash next week and you'll like it!

Reactions: Funny 5


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## Mike Hill (Apr 20, 2021)

Moi?

Reactions: Funny 4


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## Don Ratcliff (Apr 20, 2021)

Mike Hill said:


> Moi?

Reactions: Funny 5


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## Don Ratcliff (Apr 20, 2021)

@Joshm28 did you go back and buy all they had?

Reactions: Funny 5


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## Jasonparadis (Apr 20, 2021)

Y’all are cracking me up! But seriously, go back and get the rest, send some to Don but with Attn: Jason  nice turning on that piece too!

Reactions: Funny 2


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## phinds (Apr 20, 2021)

Grain says definitely not koa. I don't know kou but I trust Don to know that it's kou

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Don Ratcliff (Apr 21, 2021)

Jasonparadis said:


> Y’all are cracking me up! But seriously, go back and get the rest, send some to Don but with Attn: Jason  nice turning on that piece too!


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## Mike Hill (Apr 21, 2021)

Jasonparadis said:


> Y’all are cracking me up! But seriously, go back and get the rest, send some to Don but with Attn: Jason  nice turning on that piece too!


Ahhh Grasshoppa! You are mucking around with the wrath of Ku!


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## Don Ratcliff (Apr 21, 2021)

Mike Hill said:


> Ahhh Grasshoppa! You are mucking around with the wrath of Ku!


He has recently discovered the beauty of the moat and is a newly minted wood worker, his excitement is understandable however his training must be slightly altered at this point.

No longer will he learn the way of the gouge and skew, now @Jasonparadis must master the broom and pan technique.




I'm not sure on this is it Jasonsan or just Jasan?

Reactions: Funny 5


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