Blackish stain on live edge monkeypod/raintree.

[Ryan Higgins-Winter Haven]

I recently found some slabs of monkeypod I plan on using for a few projects including a dining room table. There appears to be some sort of blackish stain in the white sapwood that could be either from some sort of insect or perhaps a fungus? I had hoped it was only a surface issue, and I would be able to plane/sand it away to reveal clean white sapwood that is beautiful in the areas unaffected by this blemish.
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Is this something I can get out of the wood without hurting/effecting the color of the heartwood? What might have caused this in the first place?

[Bradley Gray]

I see 2 choices: embrace the black or cut it off.

[Bob Bouis]

Looks like sap stain fungus. If that's what it is, you almost certainly won't be able to plane it off. It probably goes all the way in.

[John K Jordan]

I wonder if a 2-part wood bleach would work in this case, applied carefully to just the sapwood.

JKJ

[Ryan Higgins-Winter Haven]

John,
this was what i was thinking... may try it with a scrap piece to see how it goes. will post results eventually... i goes slows

[Ryan Higgins-Winter Haven]

Bob, I think you nailed it. i believe it does... planed a bit last night... got nowhere

[Ryan Higgins-Winter Haven]

Brad,
i think your right. In the words of lord vader, embrace the dark side

[Bradley Gray]

May the force (to sand) be with you.

Black is the new white.