Smelly Wood

[JohnPW]

I've got a small piece of scrap wood from a guitar making workshop, it's really smelly!

It's chocalate brown with darker streaks. I think it's some sort of rosewood but I understand rosewood's supposed to smell of roses, hence the name. But this wood has a sort of sharp unpleasant sour smell. I've read that Honduras rosewood is one rosewood that does not smell of roses, is that what this wood is?

Here's a pic of the wood cut into 15mm x 15mm pieces.

 

[gasman]

Stinkwood is a generic term used for a large variety of woods found in South Africa.
I think you might have acquired some!
Looks good though!
Mark

 

[Mr T]

Could be sonokelling rosewood from Indonesia. I always think it smells slightly of tobacco.

Chrois

 

[SVB]

wenge (african rosewood) I think:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millettia_laurentii

 

[custard]

Wenge isn't particularly bad smelling (at least the Wenge I've used wasn't) but Wenge splinters are supposed to go septic.

I'd guess the wood you're using is Zebrano or Zebrawood. Now that really stinks!

http://thewoodendimensions.blogspot.co. ... awood.html

 

[Mr T]

This is sonokelling sometimes used in guitar making.

 

[Kalimna]

Looking at the grain pattern, my first thought was wenge too. Never used it, so can't comment on the aroma. I have an acoustic guitar with a fretboard of anjan, which is also very similar in pattern/colour, but as it had already been shaped, can't comment on smell either, sorry.

Adam

 

[Hardwood66]

Deff not wenge I use it a lot looks more like a turnip rosewood

 

[andersonec]

You may find it here,,,,,,,http://www.hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/

Andy

 

[JohnPW]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I've had a look at photos of zebrano and wenge. I think both are too stripey, with a big difference between the lighter and darker stripes, and too regular.

I understand sonokelling is just planation grown Indian rosewood, does it have a bad smell?

 

[brianhabby]

I don't know what the wood is but it looks very similar to some I recently acquired (see here) which really stinks when cut. Is it very heavy?

regards

Brian

 

[Frank S]

What about Robinia, black locust, that is heavy and stinks to high heaven when first cut.
F.

 

[Hardwood66]

Could be palm wood