# Cumaru or Red Brazilian Chestnut



## Fowlup (Mar 21, 2022)

I'm struggling a bit with identification of my Dad's woods. He made and had listed Cumaru and Red Brazilian Chestnut strikers. Are these one in the same? I have seen some of the wood identified with both names on it. I've spent a couple of hours looking but can't find anything concrete that defines this. Thanks for any help on the subject.


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## phinds (Mar 21, 2022)

Based only on the common names, they could be the same. Without any pics or other information, we can't be of any other help.

Reactions: Creative 1


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## Mr. Peet (Mar 21, 2022)

Fowlup said:


> I'm struggling a bit with identification of my Dad's woods. He made and had listed Cumaru and Red Brazilian Chestnut strikers. Are these one in the same? I have seen some of the wood identified with both names on it. I've spent a couple of hours looking but can't find anything concrete that defines this. Thanks for any help on the subject.


In the 1990's they were the same thing, as long as the term 'Red' was used. Otherwise 'Brazilian Chestnut' more often referred to 'Sucupira', which is several species across more than one genus. 'Cumaru' is a few species within the same genus.


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## Fowlup (Mar 23, 2022)

phinds said:


> Based only on the common names, they could be the same. Without any pics or other information, we can't be of any other help.


Sorry, I've been too busy to get back on here. I took a few photos but they may not be sufficient (as far as end grain polishing and magnification) and they actually muddy the waters even more. The 4 blanks on the right appear to be from the same board or piece and 2 were identified as Cumaru and 2 as Red Brazilian Chestnut. The piece on the left is identified as Red Brazilian Chestnut but looks different.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mr. Peet (Mar 23, 2022)

The 4 blanks on the right match the strikers, 'Cumaru'.

Post a picture of the side grain for the wide plank please.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Sincere 1


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## phinds (Mar 23, 2022)

And a closer face grain pic of the wide piece would also be helpful


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## Fowlup (Mar 24, 2022)

Mr. Peet said:


> The 4 blanks on the right match the strikers, 'Cumaru'.
> 
> Post a picture of the side grain for the wide plank please.

Reactions: Like 1


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## phinds (Mar 24, 2022)

Again, a closer face grain pic of the wide piece would also be helpful


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## Fowlup (Mar 25, 2022)

Mr. Peet said:


> The 4 blanks on the right match the strikers, 'Cumaru'.
> 
> Post a picture of the side grain for the wide plank please.


View attachment 224674View attachment 224674View attachment 224674


phinds said:


> Again, a closer face grain pic of the wide piece would also be helpful

Reactions: Like 2


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2022)

Good face grain pic and it looks a lot like cumaru. Maybe a different tree than the smaller pieces, but still cumaru, but the end grain doesn't look quite the same. In fact it verges towards a eucalypt. Can you get a better end grain pic of the big piece?

Reactions: Creative 1


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## Mr. Peet (Mar 25, 2022)

Thank you Derek,

I'm not sure... The pore size of the plank looks to be half the size of the striker blank pores. The plank has interlocked grain, which is common, but has a lot of grey hue, not common unless weathered. I'll have to give it some more thought. Sorry for not being more helpful at the moment.


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## Fowlup (Mar 26, 2022)

phinds said:


> Good face grain pic and it looks a lot like cumaru. Maybe a different tree than the smaller pieces, but still cumaru, but the end grain doesn't look quite the same. In fact it verges towards a eucalypt. Can you get a better end grain pic of the big piece?


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## phinds (Mar 26, 2022)

Unfortunately, that is badly out of focus and gives no more information (less actually) than the 2nd pic in post #4

The distance from the camera to the wood is quite good and the amount of wood shown is quite good, it's just that with the poor focus, details are obscured.


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## Fowlup (Mar 26, 2022)

Unfortunately I don't have a macro lens on either of my cameras. I've tried again with my Nikon D40 and with my printer scanner. This is about the best that I can do. I wasn't really questioning this wood so much as if there is a difference between it and Cumaru. Dad had this identified as Red Brazilian Chestnut. I was just trying to determine if there is a difference ....or two different woods that need to be distinguished. Is there a difference in the Janka hardness rankings between the two?


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## phinds (Mar 26, 2022)

OK, that's good enough for me to say that it is very consistent with cumaru and not with sucupira. You might check it out yourself by comparing to the pics on my cumaru page.


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## Mr. Peet (Mar 26, 2022)

Fowlup said:


> Unfortunately I don't have a macro lens on either of my cameras. I've tried again with my Nikon D40 and with my printer scanner. This is about the best that I can do. I wasn't really questioning this wood so much as if there is a difference between it and Cumaru. Dad had this identified as Red Brazilian Chestnut. I was just trying to determine if there is a difference ....or two different woods that need to be distinguished. Is there a difference in the Janka hardness rankings between the two?View attachment 224811View attachment 224810


I thought I answered your question in post #3.... However, the term 'Red' was to be used with the more red tinged spectrum of 'Cumaru'. The wood you have labeled as 'Red Brazilian Chestnut' does not fit the sale demographic based on color. As for ID, I'm still undecided based on endgrain pore size. No time to look into it for a while, sorry.


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## Fowlup (Mar 28, 2022)

Thanks for all your help. I think I will try and roundup all of Dad's stock on both Red Brazilian Chestnut and Cumaru and compare all the blanks and planks before I decide to eliminate the name of either one. If the stock is all fairly similar I will start using only one name. I like the idea of calling it Red Brazilian Chestnut for the common person buying strikers but it sounds like I should be using the name Cumaru. I didn't see where hardness was discussed, but based on what I can find both are considered at 3540.


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## phinds (Mar 28, 2022)

Fowlup said:


> Red Brazilian Chestnut


These days in the US I think that name is only used by the flooring industry

Reactions: Agree 1 | Informative 1


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## TurkeyWood (Mar 30, 2022)

Looks like Cumaru/Brazilian Chestnut/Tonka Bean. By chance did it produce a cinnamon/vanilla odor when turned?


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## Fowlup (Mar 30, 2022)

It's been a while since I turned any but I will try and turn one soon and try to tell.


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