# Is this camphor?



## Luckydawg (Aug 2, 2013)

I acquired a plank of wood last year that appeared to be walnut with a little curl in it. When I cut into it I found that it was actually brown and yellow! It looked like a swirled walnut/Osage mix! It has a very pungent smell that reminds me of some anti septic . The duck barrel shows how much it has turned brown from exposure to light for 6 months or so. Any thoughts?

http://i484.Rule #2/albums/rr205/luckydawg86/20C7E540-0B68-451B-A728-ADF0E3C27B5E-792-00000081A6593019.jpg

http://i484.Rule #2/albums/rr205/luckydawg86/FE068EAA-1019-410B-9CC2-81D76BB1432D-792-00000081AF82C205.jpg


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## Kevin (Aug 2, 2013)

If it smells like Campho Phenique it's camphor.


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## phinds (Aug 2, 2013)

As far as I know, camphor doesn't turn brown like that but it definitely doesn't look like osage orange. Maybe mulberry?

Can you sand the end grain to make it cleaner and get another pic?

EDIT: and by the way, thanks for posting that end grain pic in the first place. I always encourage everyone to do that. Unfortunately the wood in your pic is not cleaned up enough for the end grain shot to be as helpful as they can be.


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## Kevin (Aug 2, 2013)

Camphor does get brown I have some that looks very similar.


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## phinds (Aug 2, 2013)

Kevin said:


> Camphor does get brown I have some that looks very similar.



Hm ... I haven't seen that. How long does it take? I have some camphor that has been sitting out for a couple of years and there has been no color change at all.


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## Kevin (Aug 2, 2013)

Now I gotta try and find it. Don't hold your breath . . .


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## DKMD (Aug 2, 2013)

I think the smell test is the best for camphor... Any hopes for a scratch and sniff photo?

My first thought was myrtle when I saw the block, but if it smells like camphor, it's probably camphor.


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## Luckydawg (Aug 2, 2013)

Here is another end grain pic!

http://i484.Rule #2/albums/rr205/luckydawg86/965097E3-DE41-41C5-B392-A11091A59D38-792-0000009B1478B26D.jpg


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## ripjack13 (Aug 2, 2013)

Camphor smells like vicks vapor rub to me....


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## Luckydawg (Aug 2, 2013)

ripjack13 said:


> Camphor smells like vicks vapor rub to me....



It reminds me of Vic's also or maybe it is Campho Phenique! 
If it is camphor is it well suited for any special use?


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## SENC (Aug 2, 2013)

Luckydawg said:


> ripjack13 said:
> 
> 
> > Camphor smells like vicks vapor rub to me....
> ...



Looks to me like it is specially suited for nice duck call barrels! Good work on yours.


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## phinds (Aug 2, 2013)

From the new end grain, I can't rule out camphor, but can't rule it in either.


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## Kevin (Aug 4, 2013)

Kevin said:


> Now I gotta try and find it. Don't hold your breath . . .



Just as all of you were bragging about how I rarely, if ever, make mistakes, I must confess what I believe to be one. While I was not looking for the camphor just now that I believed to be what I remembered as being similar in color to the wood in question, I stumbled across a block of beeswing 'lyptus that has a locker room smell as well. So perhaps that was "the thing in my brain" which sometimes passes as a memory. 

Sorry to let so many of you down.


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