# 9 new mystery woods



## phinds (Jul 22, 2016)

In processing the two major collections in the big batch I got recently from @ELBeau , I have found 9 new "mystery woods" and have posted full sets of pics for each of them here:

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

They are 175 to 183 and are at the bottom of that page. If anyone can figure out what any of them are, I'd appreciate it.

Also, Beau, I've finished putting up pics of all of both of those first 2 collections, about 100 woods total, onto the web site. Thanks again.


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## DKMD (Jul 22, 2016)

181 looks like some kind of ebony... Maybe Brazillian ebony given the markings on the sample, but it doesn't look like the BE sample on your site.


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## phinds (Jul 22, 2016)

DKMD said:


> 181 looks like some kind of ebony... Maybe Brazillian ebony given the markings on the sample, but it doesn't look like the BE sample on your site.


Thanks, David. Yeah, I agree that some kind of ebony seems like good possibility but I checked my pages and couldn't find a match that was close enough to be very helpful. Plus, most ebonies, particularly the true ebonies (genus Diospyros) tend to be from Africa or Asia.

Ebonies, like the rosewoods, can be very difficult to ID/distinguish so I may never figure this one out.

Reactions: Like 1


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## DKMD (Jul 22, 2016)

Here's a question for you, Paul... Does pore density give a clue about wood ID? In other words, does the number of pores per square centimeter remain consistent for samples of a given species? I realize pore shape, distribution, and patterns are useful, but I wonder about the density...

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## indonesianwood (Jul 22, 2016)

176 look like tamarind heartwood..
Does it sinking on the water??


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## phinds (Jul 22, 2016)

DKMD said:


> Here's a question for you, Paul... Does pore density give a clue about wood ID? In other words, does the number of pores per square centimeter remain consistent for samples of a given species? I realize pore shape, distribution, and patterns are useful, but I wonder about the density...


David, yes pore density does matter and can be very indicative of is/is not a species. It does not remain terribly consistent within a species (or even a single plank) but it doesn't range too far from the average. It was in fact one of the considerations that caused me to rule out Brazilian ebony. #181 has a noticeably lower pore density than Brazilian ebony

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## phinds (Jul 22, 2016)

indonesianwood said:


> 176 look like tamarind heartwood..
> Does it sinking on the water??


Thanks for the suggestion.

As specifically stated in the text, it has a density about 67 lbs/cuft so yes it would sink in water, but while you are spot on that the face grain looks like tamarind, the end grain immediately rules that out. #176 has heavy (although faint) confluent parenchyma and although tamarind has noticeable vasicentric parenchyma, the circles don't merge into confluent bands.


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## Nature Man (Jul 22, 2016)

177 resembles Mahogany. Chuck


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## phinds (Jul 22, 2016)

Nature Man said:


> 177 resembles Mahogany. Chuck


Only superficially, Chuck. End grain rules that out immediately, but thanks for looking.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## barry richardson (Jul 23, 2016)

168 looks like Apitong. Not one of your latest additions, but I strayed......


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## barry richardson (Jul 23, 2016)

176. I'm sure you know this but Iroko is often referred to as African Teak. Doesn't look like what I have though...


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## phinds (Jul 23, 2016)

barry richardson said:


> 176. I'm sure you know this but Iroko is often referred to as African Teak. Doesn't look like what I have though...


That's a good catch on the name, but yeah I do know that and the end grain ruled out iroko immediately for both of the mystery woods labled "African teak"


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## phinds (Jul 23, 2016)

barry richardson said:


> 168 looks like Apitong. Not one of your latest additions, but I strayed......


That's an excellent catch Barry. I think you may be right, but, here's what I've added to the page:

Barry Richardson of the Wood Barter forum suggested that this might be apitong and I think that's a VERY good likelihood. The only possible flaw that I see is that the pores in this wood seem to be clearly smaller (but with about the same density) as in all of my samples of apitong and not surprisingly the corresponding way that the pores show up on a flat cut surface exhibits a difference based on that same fact. Still, apitong is closer than anything else I've found so far.

AMMENDED AS FOLLOWS:

[LATER] After some more research, I find that previously unknown to me, Milicia regia is also sometimes called iroko. I had only Milicia excelsa as iroko but have changed that on the iroko page. The single example of Milicia excelsa end grain that I have been able to find on the internet does seem to have larger pores than my Milicia excelsa samples on which I had based the statement directly above, so this mystery wood might well be Milicia regia.

Thanks Barry

Reactions: Like 1


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