Rosewood

[Jim Foster]

Since the topic of Rosewood came up in another thread, I thought I'd ask if the wood shown in the photo below is "Real" Rosewood. Between my father and I, it's sat in shops un-used for over 50 years and probably in another fellows shop before that for up to 30 years. I've always assumed it's Rosewood, but don't know if it is.

227978

[Jim Koepke]

It looks like rosewood.

Rosewood smells quite aromatic when it is sawn or cut. I don't think that would guarantee it is rosewood either.

jtk

[Damon Stathatos]

I think that is almost certainly ziricote. The whitish powdery residue on the bark side is the tell tale sign to me coupled with the distinctive black, in this case, crown. Can you feel any 'micro fissures' on the face at all, if so, another tell tale sign of ziricote.

[john davey]

Don't know what it is but it sure is purdy :)

[James Taglienti]

Kinda looks like bocote

[Gary Herrmann]

It looks like Zircote to me as well. That's not a bad thing. It's a beautiful species. Any you know it's definitely dry whatever it is. The link below is to Hobbit House wood ID page for zircote. The one below that is for madagascar rosewood.

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

http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/rosewood,%20madagascar.htm

[Jim Foster]

Thanks for the links. To me it's a tossup between the two. I saw one or two pictures of Rosewood that look very similar and one or two pictures of the Zircote that look very similar. Most of the Zircote and Rosewood photos look quite different than my piece of Zircote Rosewood

More importantly, I have no idea what I would use it for. I suspect that's why it's lasted so long... I thought of using it for tool handles, but that seems a little too easy.

[David Keller NC]

It's not impossible that you actually have a piece of Brazilian rosewood. The pics on the Hobbit House of brazilian rosewood are, in my opinion, uncharacteristic of the species. There are many, many species of rosewood in the world, and few new ones get discovered every few years or so.

True Brazilian rosewood has a characteristic reddish color with dark, black thin lines every 5 or 10 growth rings (these lines correspond in shape and geometric orientation to the other growth rings in the wood). Your picture looks more brownish, which is one reason why many thought of zircote.

However, brazilian rosewood does lose its reddish color over time from exposure to light. So, I would consider using a carving gouge to take a chip out of the face grain on one end of the board. If the color underneath is reddish, and the fresh-cut wood surface smells sweet and faintly of roses (brazilian rosewood is the only one that really smells like roses), then you probably do have a very rare plank of brazilain rosewood.

[Jim Foster]

Took a swipe with a plane and the shaving had a sweet rosy-chocolate smell that faded fairly quick. Not sure was Zircote smells like when being machined. I know walnut has a distinctive smell, but Oak does not seem to. Also after a swipe or two the wood was not any more reddish. More brown if anything. Still can't imagine what I'd use it for... but, maybe a project will come up that screams for this piece of wood.

[John Coloccia]

Any member of the Dalbergia genus would be considered rosewood, Brazilian being Dalbergia Nigra. There are a ton of "real" rosewoods, like Palo Escrito, African Blackwood, Honduras, East Indian, Cocobolo, etc etc etc. Just looking at it, it does look like a rosewood to me, and could very well well be Brazilian. It don't think it's Zircote or Bocote (oddly enough, both members Cordia). The pores just look too big to me.

Zircote has a rosy smell when you cut it too, as well as some of the rosewoods. That would almost rule out Bocote, which smells nothing like rosewood when you cut it.

[Brian Kent]

Rocote or Zirosewood

[Salem Ganzhorn]

I think both white and red oak have distinctive smells. I don't care for the smell of red oak (although it is growing on me because I love the wood). Take another sniff :).
Salem

[Jim Foster]

I have been working w/White Oak every day and I can't think of the last time I noticed the smell. But if I drag a plane across the edge of a piece of Walnut, the smell jumps right out. I'll let my nose do a little work later today and see if I can detect the Oak.


I think both white and red oak have distinctive smells. I don't care for the smell of red oak (although it is growing on me because I love the wood). Take another sniff :).
Salem

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

On the subject of wood smells, has anyone else felt like padauk smells a whole lot like play-doh?

[Salem Ganzhorn]

Oh I agree that walnut has a strong and distinctive smell. I just think oaks have their own smell as well. I know when I was building my workbench my whole shop smelled like white oak :).
Salem

[ken seale]

It looks like East Indian rosewood to me

[Chris Vandiver]

On the subject of wood smells, has anyone else felt like padauk smells a whole lot like play-doh?

Play-doh? How old are you? Don't you have to be 18 years or older to be on this forum?:)

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Mid thirties.

The last time I was working with it it was a very distinctive smell and I couldn't figure out what, but something I remembered. Took me a while, but I'm thinking that's what it was . . .

[Mike Hollingsworth]

I think that is almost certainly ziricote. The whitish powdery residue on the bark side is the tell tale sign to me coupled with the distinctive black, in this case, crown. Can you feel any 'micro fissures' on the face at all, if so, another tell tale sign of ziricote.

I'm with Damon on this one. Distinctly different grain patterns separated by black variegations.

[Joshua Byrd]

No comment on the wood species, but, to me, walnut smells like aspirin. Red oak smells just like cat piss. I *hate* planing red oak.

[Jim Foster]

Cat been in your shop? I've never had that problem with Red Oak.


No comment on the wood species, but, to me, walnut smells like aspirin. Red oak smells just like cat piss. I *hate* planing red oak.

[Joshua Byrd]

Cat been in your shop? I've never had that problem with Red Oak.

Haha, if only that were the case. I've read similar comments from other people on different forums, so maybe we've just got sniffers that are unfortunate enough to smell it. My wife has even been around when I was planing or sawing it and she asked if a cat had peed in the garage.

[george wilson]

I have worked Brazilian rosewood since the 50's. It has a distinctive peppery smell when planed or scraped. Once you have smelled it,you will know true Brazilian just by the smell.

Brazilian can be anywhere from orange to nearly black in color. The black lines commonly seen in it are because the wood is usually allowed to spalt a bit before sawing and drying,to increase the figure. I have had Brazilian without the spalting,but it is not usual to see it without those dark lines. The finest Hauser guitar I ever played was made from orange Brazilian. Its 3rd string sounded like it was a wound string! Only guitarists will understand this statement.

I recall the days in the late 50's and early 60's when there was a veneer mill not too far from Old Dominion College. My classmates and I would go there and buy Brazilian rosewood for $2.50 per bd. ft.. We thought that was high then!! Of course,the jobs I could get back then paid only 75 cents to $1.00 per hour. I think I was making $2.50 per hour at my first year of teaching shop.

I still have a good stack of veneers from the 50's. If anyone is rebuilding a 1959 Cadillac,I have 1/28" Tamo that was cut for that car's interior. It is getting REAL brittle!



Rosewood is called rosewood because it has the smell of fresh roses after it is cut down.

[Zach Dillinger]

Haha, if only that were the case. I've read similar comments from other people on different forums, so maybe we've just got sniffers that are unfortunate enough to smell it. My wife has even been around when I was planing or sawing it and she asked if a cat had peed in the garage.

I wonder if the distinctive smell of "cat pee oak" has anything to do with the tannins, which are also found in walnut and in urine. Might be the source...

[Joshua Byrd]

I wonder if the distinctive smell of "cat pee oak" has anything to do with the tannins, which are also found in walnut and in urine. Might be the source...

So you can smell it, too? Poor guy. :p I'm not sure what causes the oak to smell like it does, but I know that it smells much different than walnut. As I mentioned earlier, the black walnut I've worked with smelled just like a freshly-opened bottle of aspirin.

[Joshua Clark]

Red, black, and pin oak (all of which are grouped together and called "red oak") smell terrible to me. It's a smell that combines best features of stale urine and vomit. It has the distinct smell of a fraternity bathroom floor on a Sunday morning. I split a _lot_ of red oak so I've had a lot of time to ponder the depths of its odor. A few years back I split and stacked about three cords of fresh red oak and put it in the stack closest to our house. We had to keep the windows closed for weeks to keep the stink out.

Listen to George's advice on identifying true Brazilian rosewood- the smell is distinct and quique. If you have some old Stanley totes that need repair- sand them with fine paper and have a smell. I made a set of paring chisel handles out of Brazilian and every time I use them the heat from my hands warms the wood and I get that smell. It's a wonderful thing!

Josh

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I've smelled the oak thing too - we had an issue with one of the cats and for the longest time i was convinced there was a spot I had missed cleaning with the enzyme cleaner - I could smell a faint smell, every time I was crouched on the floor looking for something, but couldn't figure out where it was . . . turned out it was the stash of freshly milled red oak tucked in the corner under the bench.