Probably been asked before

[Nathan Shaffer]

Hello,
Trying to figure out the best woods to hold very fine detail like is found on a military challenge coin. Planning on making thank you coins to give out to veterans in my area. So price and balance of detail holding is key.

Thank you for your expertise.

[Jim Becker]

I'll suggest you focus on hard, close/fine grained hardwoods but do keep in mind that as you get down in size, you can start to run into limits in detail. So keep that in mind as you do your design and be sure you have some nice, but tiny tapered ball nose tooling ready to go. IE, woods like oak are not a good choice. For domestics, maple and cherry should do well. For exotics, use the same thought process.

[stephen thomas]

Holly is good, as is ebony on the darker side. Bloodwood - i once made a pile of stuff for the women in the military veterans memorial and per spec it was all bloodwood.
Pear was a traditional model-making/carving wood, but i don't think it is really hard. Apple is pretty good, again on the darker look.
Beech is not bad. Any really fine grain very hard wood. There are also plenty of other materials that work. Some fairly true looking ivory substitutes with schreger lines that cue makers use like juma, and elforyn.

The person who commissioned this summered in Maine and really likes loons (as do i) so i panto'd a loon for the corners of the desk in micarta & gave her some extras.


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[Bruce Page]

Although a dark wood, Padauk holds detail well.

[Nathan Shaffer]

Thank you for the responses.

[Keith Outten]

Bruce, fantastic work on the dragon mirror !!!!!

[Bruce Page]

Bruce, fantastic work on the dragon mirror !!!!!

Thanks Keith, it was a Game Of Thrones request from my daughter.