Please help identify wood

J

JDW

Well-Known Member
I have some wood that was given to me, that I need help with. It is very oily, has a distinct sweet smell when grinding.

The second one is not what I would call oily wood. is hard. I am guessing it maybe some Rosewood, but I don't know. I got this from a friend who does work at a place where they make rifle and shotgun stocks.

101_3933.jpg
101_3934.jpg first one this one you can wipe with acetone soaked cloth and wipe oil off of it like cocobolo

101_3932.jpg
101_3935.jpg second one both were sanded to 220 grit.

Any help is appreciated. Dale
 
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The first one probably is a rosewood, pretty common in gun stock making.
The second reminds me of Olive wood as a first choice and zebra wood second. I can't recall ever seeing Olive wood gun stocks but have seen a few beautiful zebra wood stocks on some high end Weatherby 7mm bolt actions. Just a guess according to the cut and grain of the wood.

Rudy
 
The first one says 'Mex. Ebony' on it in the picture...........though I don't know what that is. Colors and grain look like possible desert ironwood but the pores in the grain say maybe cocobolo. Could be anouther type of rosewood but it sure looks like cocobolo or ironwood to me.

The second piece I'm guessing is walnut.......maybe English walnut.
 
I might be wrong, I have been before,:what!: but, the bottom one reminds of some black walnut cut off of my father's property in Nebraska. Take a look at this search!

https://www.google.com/search?q=pic...m%2Fonlinedbf%2Fmaindata%2Fwe670.html;550;240

The butt of the trees are often knarly wavy grain. Not sure about the top one but seeing as it is oily that narrows it down to a few different species. It is a good possibility that it is one of the Rosewood, here is a link to info on them!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalbergia_nigra
 
The first one looks like a rosewood, especially since it has a sweet smell and the second looks to me like English walnut.
Hope this helps,
Clint
 
Thanks everyone for the help, I am thinking the top one fits the description of the old growth Brazilian Rosewood, that floral sweet smell. And the second one has had several local folks think some sort of Walnut as well as most of you guys. Whatever it is it sure is pretty, and is already taken for 3 knives. Now for the next question. Assuming that the second one is a Turkish or English walnut, should it be stabilized?

Thanks again, Dale
 
I've used walnut both stabilized and not with no issues either way. It may finish different one way than the other. Stabilized may be quicker and easier but unstabilized looks really nice with a rich oil finish.

The choice is yours. Should be fine either way.
 
Thanks John.
considering that I just got a vacuum chamber and Cactus Juice from Turntex, I think I will try stabilizing some of it.

Dale
 
1st one has Mexican Ebony written on it so it is probably Katalox.
2nd is definite English/Turkish Walnut. Can be difficult to stabilize yourself.
Might turn dark/muddy.
 
Burl Source said:
1st one has Mexican Ebony written on it so it is probably Katalox.
2nd is definite English/Turkish Walnut. Can be difficult to stabilize yourself.
Might turn dark/muddy.
Click to expand...

Thanks Mark. Mexican ebony is what the guy I got it from said, and I couldn't find any info on that, so figured there was another name for it, but had no idea what.
I may try to stabilize a small piece of the walnut before I do the blocks. The walnut has a soft silky feel to it, hard to explain what I mean.

Thanks again.
Dale
 
English Walnut takes a really good finish using an oil blend.
Tru-Oil or Danish Oil are ones I like. Light coats and let it dry between coats.
 
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