Can you ID this wood?

[TheCraftyCarver]

So I found this scrap of 1/4" thick wood at Woodcraft in the scrap bin and I'm having a hard time identifying it. The clues:
- It's a very warm brown with very "cherry coke warm red" tints to it. There were areas of light Blond areas too.
- It's not walnut thet I can tell (I use a LOT of walnut types and this isnt the same kind at all) it's much heavier, denser, much harder to cut and smells different (some malty chocolate notes when sanding) and it also wants to crack a bit easier. It has some good patterns in it as well.
- it's not bubinga, but it makes me think of a rosewood, but ive scoured woodcrafts website and can't find a 1/4 dimensioned wood that looks the same.

Any ideas? Since it's so thin I'm making some butter spreaders with it, but I want to make sure it's food safe and won't leach anything toxic.
Thanks!

 

[KenB259]

Looks like King Cocobolo

 

[Joebobber]

Cocobolo for sure

 

[wood4fun]

Looks like bolivian rosewood aka pera ferro

 

[TheCraftyCarver]

Loos like King Cocoblo

Cocobolo for sure

Looks like bolivian rosewood aka pera ferro

Well… good thing I had my dust mask on white cutting & machine sanding (but sadly not while hand sanding). Cocobolo or Bolivian rosewood… I better mask up the whole time! Thanks guys!

 

[egnald]

Greetings from Nebraska.

From the rich dark heartwood and from the color and the pale yellowish white and grain of the sapwood, my guess would be Katalox (sometimes called Mexican ebony). Last year my local WoodCraft had Katalox on sale and I bought some that was both heart and sapwood.

If it is Katalox, it can be hard to work because it is extremely hard and dense. I don't know for sure how I would classify the odor, but there is a faint odor to it when it is being worked. Also, like the others that have been mentioned, sanding dust from Katalox has been reported to cause respiratory irritation in some individuals.

Mind you, this is still just a guess.
Here is a thumbnail picture of Katalox with sapwood.

Regards,
Dave

 

[PatrickR]

my guess is also pau ferro. Nothing inherently dangerous with it or cocobolo. Potentially allergenic as with all wood dust though.

 

[egnald]

It is very possible that it is Cocobolo as others have suggested.
Here is a picture of Cocobolo with Sapwood.
Dave

 

[leehljp]

Either Cocobolo or Brazilian rosewood and I lean towards Brazilian Rosewood because of the grain.

 

[Joebobber]

Either Cocobolo or Brazilian rosewood and I lean towards Brazilian Rosewood because of the grain.

I wouldn't think Woodcraft would have Brazilian rosewood, let alone have it in their scrap bin.

 

[sbwertz]

Isn't Brazilian Rosewood one of the endangered species that are now illegal to harvest except under very stringent conditions? It is VERY expensive and I don't think it would show up in a scrap bin.

 

[maxwell_smart007]

There are umpteen species of rosewood - that's one of them. Cocobolo is a type of rosewood, and it's much, much heavier than many of hte other rosewoods. All tend to cause allergic reactions in those of us who are susceptible, so be careful!

I've noticed that cocobolo has a floral scent when cut...but I haven't worked with it for years since it causes some pretty severe allergy symptoms. I might try and find a project that doesn't involve it being in contact with food, if it were me!

 

[Madman1978]

I love Cocobolo