# ID This Wood



## Woodman (Nov 18, 2015)

I do volunteer handyman work for WWII veterans and for the past week I've been getting a home ready for sale. I had told the gentleman that I liked working with wood and making knives. The work was finished today and he said there was a piece of wood in a closet that the previous owner had left 40 years ago and could I please get rid of it. I was expecting a construction 2x4. It's a flitch and when I reached in to pick it up I was leaning forward and the unexpected weight of it pulled me down. After dusting it off I was absolutely amazed at the beauty of it. It's 1 1/16x7x52" and weighs 14 pounds. I took it to the pond to verify my certainty that it would sink in water. Like a stone! One end has the remains of a white sealant. It could have come into the country as a log but that's just a guess. The slight remains of sapwood are beige/cream color. I guess you could say I got paid for volunteer work! :)
http://i594.Rule #2/albums/tt28/lakeridge3/100_16951_zps3suqmdlb.jpg?t=1447791973

Reactions: EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 1


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## Kevin (Nov 18, 2015)

Looks like coco but I am not 100% sure because there's other stuff that looks similar - whatever it is it must not have seen any light in that time not to have faded at all or else it was covered up.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## phinds (Nov 18, 2015)

Certainly seems to be some kind of rosewood, possibly cocobolo, as Kevin suggested. Also looks a lot like some Brazilian rosewood I've seen, but the rosewoods are so variable that there are several that it could be.


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## Woodman (Nov 18, 2015)

Kevin, it was wrapped in a sheet but it was still dusty. After it came out of the pond it looked better. I'll find out about fading when it's totally dry.
I was thinking maybe Desert Ironwood? I'm ok figuring wood from the northeast and a few imports but with over 30,000 trees in the world I don't really know diddly.


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## Woodman (Nov 18, 2015)

Paul, thanks for your input. I was going to check with you on your website next. Do you remember me, I sent you a turkey call years back for the help you gave me on a wood.
Kevin


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## Woodman (Nov 18, 2015)

Woodman said:


> Kevin, it was wrapped in a sheet but it was still dusty. After it came out of the pond it looked better. I'll find out about fading when it's totally dry.
> I was thinking maybe Desert Ironwood? I'm ok figuring wood from the northeast and a few imports but with over 30,000 trees in the world I don't really know diddly.


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## phinds (Nov 18, 2015)

Woodman said:


> Paul, thanks for your input. I was going to check with you on your website next. Do you remember me, I sent you a turkey call years back for the help you gave me on a wood.
> Kevin


Oh, yeah. I still have it. I can't seem to put my finger on it at the moment but then that's not unusual for me 

Desert ironwood is a possibility. I can easily distinguish DI from the rosewoods if you can put up a closeup of the cleaned up end grain (or you can just compare it to the pics on my site).


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## Woodman (Nov 18, 2015)

Paul, I just moved to a townhome and no longer have a shop. I will try to get the use of a miter saw tomorrow or Friday to get a clean end and photo of the endgrain.

PS I've been selling down my collection of turkey calls that I have taken in from customers when their funds for wood buying were low. From 200+ I probably have 40 more to go. At $20-$25 they've been going quickly.


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## robert flynt (Nov 18, 2015)

could it be desert iron wood, what does it smell like when fresh cut or sanded.


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## Woodman (Nov 18, 2015)

I'll check the smell tomorrow.


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## Woodman (Nov 19, 2015)

It smells different than the cocobolo I have. It doesn't smell good, a funky stale, moldy bale of hay, it's hard to describe. It's also harder to make a depression in it when I press into it with a steel punch when compared to cocobolo. It's a heavier, harder wood.
I will be getting the use of a miter saw later today hopefully to get a photo of the endgrain.


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## Kevin (Nov 19, 2015)

Woodman said:


> It smells different than the cocobolo I have. It doesn't smell good, a funky stale, moldy bale of hay, it's hard to describe. It's also harder to make a depression in it when I press into it with a steel punch when compared to cocobolo. It's a heavier, harder wood.



Y'all may be right - it's certainly trending toward DIW with that new info.


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## Woodman (Nov 19, 2015)

The wood creates a reddish dust. I cut 1/4" off an end. The crosscut has a glass smooth finish. I wore a respirator. The dust was a bit irritating to my eyes, I forgot to wear goggles.
http://i594.Rule #2/albums/tt28/lakeridge3/100_16961_zpsrplw5omq.jpg?t=1447866346

http://i594.Rule #2/albums/tt28/lakeridge3/100_16971_zpsvf6hkyum.jpg


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## Kevin (Nov 19, 2015)

I'm back to saying cocobolo or some other similar rosewood despite how it smells to you - do you find the smell of honduran rosewood nice like spice, or unpleasant?

Those end grain colors are more close to coco than DIW IMO.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Woodman (Nov 19, 2015)

I've never had Honduran Rosewood. After I took the mask off and smelled the dust it smelled different than the sandpaper test this morning, roasted jalapenos maybe!


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## Kevin (Nov 19, 2015)

Woodman said:


> I've never had Honduran Rosewood. After I took the mask off and smelled the dust it smelled different than the sandpaper test this morning, roasted jalapenos maybe!



Not even close to a spicey or even sort of hint of licorice smell except not a nasty licorice smell (it's all nasty to me)?


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## Woodman (Nov 19, 2015)

Nothing like licorice.
Under a magnifying glass it's diffuse porous. I know that doesn't help because coco is and desert ironwood can be ring porous.


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## Kevin (Nov 19, 2015)

I'm sure you've been to Paul's site and looked at the end grain? Just in case not . . . 

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/cocobolo.htm


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## phinds (Nov 19, 2015)

No way this is DI. Looks a lot like cocobolo but can't be positive just from the pics you have so far. Cocobolo dust is highly irritating to some people, very much including the possibility of it irritating your eyes. Before I know how bad exotics can be I once ended up at the emergency room with my eyes damned near swolen shut because of cocobolo dust.


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## Woodman (Nov 19, 2015)

Thanks Paul, your opinion has always meant a lot to me. I'm not going to say that this wood is one I can identify, I'll just say I don't know what it is and maybe the buyer will know better than I. It won't be the first wood that I can't identify and it won't be the last. I do know that it is going to make some very nice knife handles that won't require a finish if the maker so decides.

I appreciate all the help and opinions, thanks guys.


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