Wood ID Please...

[dirk martin]

What species do I have here?
I'm being told Ash, but I feel it looks more like Hickory.
Bought it from a flooring mfg.
These are raw, thin boards, with no backer.

319956 319957 319958

[Andrew Hughes]

Looks like Hickory to me.

[Peter Quinn]

Sure looks like hickory from here. Is it particularly hard? Hickory is a lot harder than ash, I've never seen even mixed color ash with a color that dark brown .

[Cliff Hill]

I just finished Hickory cabinets last fall for my son - The photos sure look like Hickory to me. I agree with Peter, ash does not have that kind of color variation. The beauty of Hickory is the extreme color variation between very light and very dark.
Cliff

[Jay Aubuchon]

It doesn't look like any of the ash I have on hand.

[peter gagliardi]

I've worked enough of both to know it isn't ash, but almost positive is hickory.

[dirk martin]

Thanks gang. I'll go with Hickory.

[John TenEyck]

Might be pecan if not hickory. Definitely doesn't look like any ash I've seen.

John

[Keith Outten]

Looks like Hickory to me as well.

FWIW hickory is one of the very best wood species for laser engraving. It is drop dead gorgeous stuff when its engraved and thin hickory wood is very popular in my area because the laser leaves a beautiful dark mark with excellent contrast. If you are considering using hickory for small boxes you might consider this option in your design.
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[Danny Hamsley]

There is a way to tell hickory from ash looking at the end grain with a hand lens. It has to do with the arrangement of the parenchyma cells in the latewood and how they associate with the pores. Not going to delve in all that here. Looks like hickory to me, too.