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sorcerertd

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So, I saw this in Home Goods, and couldn't resist. It's beautiful wood but, of course, it doesn't say what species. All I know is that the cutting board is made in India, so I'm guessing it is most likely, though not necessarily, a wood native to India. It's pretty dense. What do you think?

@Sri Pens, Mohan, does this look familiar to you?

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Not a wood expert but I'm impressed with the contrasting colors and bold grain.
Looked at Trader Joe's for olive wood cutting boards for pen blanks. Lots of knots, bypassed it.
 
Considering it is a cutting board and that it came from India, I am 99% confident that it is North Indian Rosewood, also known as Sissoo (Dalbergia sissoo), Tahli, or Sheesham. It usually grows crooked so the random hardwood / sapwood grain (like in your picture) is common. Next to teak it is the most widely cultivated and exported wood from India. Look up Sissoo in the Wood Database for more details. The grain in the lighter, sapwood, in the Sheesham that I have worked with always reminds me of Mango wood. Picture of Sheesham cutting board is attached.

Dave
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So, I saw this in Home Goods, and couldn't resist. It's beautiful wood but, of course, it doesn't say what species. All I know is that the cutting board is made in India, so I'm guessing it is most likely, though not necessarily, a wood native to India. It's pretty dense. What do you think?

@Sri Pens, Mohan, does this look familiar to you?

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Sees ham from the Northern part of India . Such distinct grain pattern difficult with other Indian woods
 
Made trip to Home Good found this cutting board with little leather tag attached Bois De Natural, came up with ID from woods with this info..See attachments. Will cut it up and use it for future ring on. project segmented bowl in process. Will post bowl some time next week.


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Made trip to Home Good found this cutting board with little leather tag attached Bois De Natural, came up with ID from woods with this info..See attachments. Will cut it up and use it for future ring on. project segmented bowl in process. Will post bowl some time next week.
Um, I'm not trying to be a Debbie Downer here, but your cutting board is not Bois de rose from Madagascar, Bois De Natural could possibly be the name of the company in India perhaps? It looks very much like the Indian Sheesham cutting boards that can be found at Walmart for about $25.

Bois de rose wood only grows in a narrow strip of land on the tiny African island of Madagascar. It has a bright purple/magenta color when it is freshly cut and ages to a deep burgundy color. It has been illegal to export or import Bois de Rose for many years now as it is illegal to harvest it in Madagascar for more than 25 years. The only Bois de rose that is available in the USA is from old stock that was imported many years ago - usually by luthiers. In addition, the cost of Bois de rose is in the $150 to $300 per board foot range.

Dave
 
Um, I'm not trying to be a Debbie Downer here, but your cutting board is not Bois de rose from Madagascar, Bois De Natural could possibly be the name of the company in India perhaps? It looks very much like the Indian Sheesham cutting boards that can be found at Walmart for about $25.

Bois de rose wood only grows in a narrow strip of land on the tiny African island of Madagascar. It has a bright purple/magenta color when it is freshly cut and ages to a deep burgundy color. It has been illegal to export or import Bois de Rose for many years now as it is illegal to harvest it in Madagascar for more than 25 years. The only Bois de rose that is available in the USA is from old stock that was imported many years ago - usually by luthiers. In addition, the cost of Bois de rose is in the $150 to $300 per board foot range.

Dave
Dave:" Well what ever, as I thinks I got a bargain for $9.99
Going to be interest to see how it works out.
By the way thanks for the info.
 
Dave:" Well what ever, as I thinks I got a bargain for $9.99
Going to be interest to see how it works out.
By the way thanks for the info.
You absolutely got a bargain considering that SHeesham, or Sissoo is a true Dalbergia Rosewood species. I have bought similar cutting boards from Walmart for about $25. They do make outstanding pens especially when you can cut blanks from the areas that contain both sapwood and heartwood.

Before retiring I used to visit Solan India which is in the foothills of the Himalayas north of Chandigarh at about 5000 feet in elevation. There is a lot of Sheesham growing in that area. Even though it is a true Dalbergia rosewood with export restrictions (added to CITES in 2016), an exception was made in the 2022 CITES convention to permit the harvesting and export of Sheesham because of its abundance in Northern India. It has only been about 2 years since the export regulations were relaxed so that is likely why it has finally started to show up in the USA. I've seen a lot of it in high end rosewood furniture, tables, cabinets, and such along with these cutting boards of course.

To be honest, I prefer it over the Bois de rose from Madagascar. Sheesham is a beautiful rosewood and you will be very happy with how it turns. One of my personal carry pens is a modified Designer NT, with no center band that I made from Sheesham.

Dave

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That's a lot of information I never knew . Thanks Dave . It was enlightening. Seesham is still being regulated domestically and there re few places where it's converted to furniture. Export probably happens but domestically in lumber form still not available easily .
 
Regarding the original post and pictures, varying grain direction in the piece with large knot may stress the adjoining glue joint and cause separation.
 
Made trip to Home Good found this cutting board with little leather tag attached Bois De Natural, came up with ID from woods with this info..See attachments. Will cut it up and use it for future ring on. project segmented bowl in process. Will post bowl some time next week.

I believe "Bois du Natural" is French for 'natural wood' ...
 
Thank you all❗

It seems that Sheesham is the winner, though it could pass for Acacia. After you got me started with those two, I did a little more research and found this comparison interesting: https://www.khaticraft.com/blogs/furniture/acacia-wood-vs-sheesham-wood

Regarding the original post and pictures, varying grain direction in the piece with large knot may stress the adjoining glue joint and cause separation.
But it's going to make some nice looking pens! :D

I believe "Bois du Natural" is French for 'natural wood' ...
This is correct

@Dieseldoc this is Bois de Rose. It's really hard to capture the color because it is sooooo dark. I had to brighten that picture up a lot. Exposure to light (UV) turns it almost black over time, which is a bummer because it's so richly colored. If you can find a blank priced fairly, it will probably run you about $8.
Your cutting board is definitely some nice wood for $10. Home Goods is great for that, especially the olive!

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@Dieseldoc this is Bois de Rose. It's really hard to capture the color because it is sooooo dark. I had to brighten that picture up a lot. Exposure to light (UV) turns it almost black over time, which is a bummer because it's so richly colored. If you can find a blank priced fairly, it will probably run you about $8.
Your cutting board is definitely some nice wood for $10. Home Goods is great for that, especially the olive!

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That's how my Bois de rose looks too, I think of it as a dark, bing cherry color. Although I do have a few blanks that are a little lighter and are more on the dark magenta-purple color spectrum. It made an attractive pen, and the Cigar is my favorite style too. Is that Chrome and Gunmetal? - Dave
 
That's how my Bois de rose looks too, I think of it as a dark, bing cherry color. Although I do have a few blanks that are a little lighter and are more on the dark magenta-purple color spectrum. It made an attractive pen, and the Cigar is my favorite style too. Is that Chrome and Gunmetal? - Dave
Thanks. That's the all antique silver finish from EB.
 
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