Russian-Olive (Elaeagnus Angustifolia)

Status: Secure and available.

Other Common Names: 

Native to Russia and other parts of Eastern Europe/Western Asia, these members of the Elaeagnaceae family (Elaeagnus) can grow to 35 feet in height and 1 feet in diameter. .

Color is yellowish brown, often with a greenish hue.

Uneven texture with many pores, machines well and turns well.  Specific Gravity: .55-.69. Avg. Dry Weight:  43 pounds per cubic foot.

Used to make: Knife making, Pens, Carving.

NOT PART OF THE OLIVE FAMILY. I honestly can't say this enough. Yes, the wood has a similar appearance to Olive, but it is not an olive tree. The name is derived from the fact that the fruit looks similar to an olive. But unlike olive trees, the wood contains no oils and the texture is vastly different.

Russian-Olive (Elaeagnus Angustifolia)

Stabilized Russian-Olive Burl(Elaeagnus Angustifolia)

Zitan (Pterocarpus Santalinus)

Status: Endangered (Threatened) and rarely available.

Other Common Names: Red Sandlewood, Tzu-t'an

Found in India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, these members of the Fabaceae family (Pterocarpus) can grow to 25 feet in height and 1-2 feet in diameter. .

Color is reddish Orange and darkens with age. Pale sapwood.

Medium to Course texture , machines well and turns well.  Specific Gravity: ???. Avg. Dry Weight:  ??? pounds per cubic foot.

Used to make: Furniture, Carving.

Used in Ming and Qing Dynasty furniture that was reserved  for the Imperial household. Due to over exploitation and smuggling into China where it is still highly sought after, the price for this wood can be astronomical. The single 5 inch long by 3/4 inch square piece below was approx $100 recovered from a damaged beyond repair piece of antique Qing furniture.

Zitan (Pterocarpus Santalinus) - Recovered from Antique Furniture

Smoketree [Chittum Burl] (Cotinus Sp)

Status: Secure and available.

Other Common Names:
Native to Southeastern United States, these members of the Anacardiaceae family (Cotinus) can grow to 10-15 feet in height and 1.5 feet in diameter. .

Color is yellowish orange.

Medium to fine texture , machines well and turns well.  Specific Gravity: ???. Avg. Dry Weight:  ??? pounds per cubic foot.

Root Burls form in Limestone deposits common in Alabama. The Burl mush be removed from the limestone by either chipping or dynamite. As such the Burls are highly sought after.

Used to make: Turning, Knife making, Carving.

Smoketree (Cotinus Sp)

Chittum Root Burl  (Cotinus Sp)

Manzanita (Arctostaphylos Sp)

Status: Secure and available.

Other Common Names: 

Found in Northern Mexico and Western United States, these members of the Ericaceae family (Arctostaphylos) can grow to 16 feet in height and 1 foot in diameter. .

Color is reddish brown with pale sapwood.

Fine texture with occasional voids in the root balls commonly used , somewhat difficult to machines but turns well.  Specific Gravity: .74-.92. Avg. Dry Weight:  57 pounds per cubic foot.

Used to make: Boxes, Turnings, Carving.

Manzanita Root Burl (Arctostaphylos Sp)

Madagascar Rosewood (Dalbergia Baronii)

Status: Vulnerable (Threatened) but available.

Other Common Names: 

Found in Madagascar, these members of the Fabaceae family (Dalbergia) can grow to 50-7 feet in height and 1-3 feet in diameter.

Color is medium reddish brown with darker streaks and pale sapwood.

Fine texture, machines well and turns well.  Specific Gravity: .75-.93. Avg. Dry Weight:  58 pounds per cubic foot.

Used to make: Musical Instruments, Cabinetry, Carving.

Madagascar Rosewood (Dalbergia Baronii)

Locust (Robinia Sp)

Status: Secure and available.

Other Common Names: Black Locust

Found in Eastern United States, these members of the Fabaceae family (Robinia) can grow to 100 feet in height and 3 feet in diameter. .

Color is greenish yellow to medium brown.

Medium texture, machining can be troublesome but turns well.  Specific Gravity: .66-.82. Avg. Dry Weight:  51 pounds per cubic foot.

Used to make: Flooring, Cabinetry, Turning.

Locust (Robinia Sp.)

Lacewood (Panopsis Sp)

Status: Secure and available.

Other Common Names: 

Found in Tropical South America, these members of the Proteaceae family (Panopsis) can grow to 50 feet in height and 2-3 feet in diameter. .

Color is pale brown with flecking that gives the appearance of a lace-like grain.

Medium to Course texture, machines well and turns well, but may tear out with planing.  Specific Gravity: .43-.53. Avg. Dry Weight: 33 pounds per cubic foot.

Used to make: Fine Furniture, Cabinetry, Musical Instruments.

Lacewood (Panopsis Sp.)

Kingwood (Dalbergia Cearensis)

Status: Secure and available.

Other Common Names: 

Found in Brazil to Central America, these members of the Fabaceae family (Dalbergia) can grow to 30-60 feet in height and 2 feet in diameter. .

Color is dark purplish brown with pale sapwood.

Fine texture, machines well and turns well.  Specific Gravity: .98-1.2. Avg. Dry Weight:  75 pounds per cubic foot.

Used to make: Inlays turnings etc.

Kingwood (Dalbergia Cearensis)

Katalox (Swartzia Sp.)

Status: Secure and available.

Other Common Names: Mexican Ebony

Found in Central America and Northern South America, these members of the Fabaceae family (Swartzia) can grow to 100-130 feet in height and 2-4 feet in diameter. .

Color is dark reddish brown with pale sapwood, often with a strong purple hue.

Fine texture, machines well and turns well.  Specific Gravity: .94-1.15. Avg. Dry Weight:  72 pounds per cubic foot.

Used to make: Flooring, Cabinetry, Fine Furniture.

Katalox (Swartzia Sp)

African Padauk (Pterocarpus Soyauxii)

Status: Secure and available.

Other Common Names: 

Central and Western African Tropics, these members of the Fabaceae family (Pterocarpus) can grow to 100-130 feet in height and 2-4 feet in diameter. .

Color is Pinkish Orange to reddish brown darkening with time.

Course texture, machines well and turns well.  Specific Gravity: .61-.74. Avg. Dry Weight:  46 pounds per cubic foot.

Used to make: Flooring, Furniture, Carving, Musical Instruments.

African Padauk (Pterocarpus Soyauxii)