# A few mystery woods



## Phil Morris (Feb 14, 2012)

I recently picked up some wood from an estate. Of the few hundred board feet of material divided among a dozen different species, three boards were marked as to what they were. Most of the material is fairly easy to identify but there are several mysteries and I appreciate any help offered in sorting these out.

These first slabs I have preliminarily identified as claro walnut but I am willing to have this corrected or confirmed. They are large (14" to 24" wide X 9/4) and I don't have an easy way of getting a fresh cut on the endgrain. Here are a few pictures:

http://i157.Rule #2/albums/t56/pmorris_photo/005-35.jpg

http://i157.Rule #2/albums/t56/pmorris_photo/006-28.jpg

http://i157.Rule #2/albums/t56/pmorris_photo/003-45.jpg

http://i157.Rule #2/albums/t56/pmorris_photo/004-41.jpg

http://i157.Rule #2/albums/t56/pmorris_photo/007-30.jpg

http://i157.Rule #2/albums/t56/pmorris_photo/009-21.jpg

This next one is a real mystery. The wood is open grained and mahogany like but is browner than mahogany, You can see the two boards are very even in color and despite the way the close up shot came out, there is not much of a red cast as you would find in mahogany.

http://i157.Rule #2/albums/t56/pmorris_photo/011-15.jpg

http://i157.Rule #2/albums/t56/pmorris_photo/011-15-1.jpg

http://i157.Rule #2/albums/t56/pmorris_photo/012-10.jpg

http://i157.Rule #2/albums/t56/pmorris_photo/013-11.jpg

I didn't realize how bad that endgrain shot was until I posted it.

Phil


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## Kevin (Feb 14, 2012)

I think the reddish stripes are where sunlight was getting to that part of the boards, directly or indirectly, between where the other boards were stacked on top but you probably knew that. 

I don't know if it's Claro Walnut or not, and most vendors selling "Claro Walnut" have no clue that what they are selling is or isn't actually CW either. 

That is a very deep subject and one which I am not qualified to even approach, but I will say this; the term "Claro Walnut" has been so misused that myths have become fact. It is it's own species - _juglans hindsii_ - but before the species was "born" (it is a man made hybrid) "Claro Walnut" referred *ONLY* to the root stock _below the graft line on English walnut trees that were cultivated in orchards_. The roots produce the heavy compression figure and color (prized for gun stocks and instruments etc.).

So if someone comes along and tells you "Yes that is certainly Claro Walnut - I can tell by the picture" then my opinion is they don't know squat. I don't either but I think I know enough to know it's not possible to ID _juglans whateverus_ from face grain. 

Maybe you can get a better end grain shot? 


Ugly wood by the way I'll trade you a box of balsa wood for it.  




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