Cocobolo - Weird grain

[jtate]

What I want to know is how does a tree grow and produce wood with grain like this? This is not a glue-up, it's really got that straight grain right next to the curvy stuff!

Thanks Joel!

 

[Tuba707]

No idea, and I sold it to you =) That board was just incredible, though. I only kept 3 blanks for myself and I am regretting not keeping more.

Hope they were "bookmatched" enough for you to use as you would like!

 

[Mudder]

Could possibly be a scar from where a branch was cut off and the tree grew around the branch?

 

[Dario]

I have a bunch of cocobolo that looks like that...they sure are intriguing (how the grain formed like that).

 

[GBusardo]

Can someone please post a pic of a pen turned out of that stuff? I cannot wait to see it!

 

[UKpenmaker]

I would go along with Mudder on this one, its looks very much like it could have been from near the crotch which has lost a limb and then healed over.

 

[beamer]

yeah - i'm with the others - generally sharp grain changes like that are an indication of a dramatic shock to the tree at the point of the transition. The environment for that tree may have changed significantly causing the strange pattern you have.

 

[ilikewood]

This is actually pretty common in good Cocobolo. I'm not sure why and could only guess as to the reason. It is usually separated by a dark heavy black line and the grain is totally different on both sides.

 

[Russianwolf]

possibly a result of a forrest fire.

If you notice the inside looks very tight grained (slow growth) while the outside is heavy grained (fast growth), This could be due to a fire thinning out the plants in the area and the tree being able to absorb more water resulting in the fast growth. The damage from the fire may also cause the grain distortion as it damaged part of the outer layers of the tree.