wood id

[user 19915]

Can anyone positively identify this wood? It used to be a staircase. It has an acrid smell when cut and even seems to cause a bit of skin irritation on my hands after extensive contact. I've worked with meranti, sapele and teak before, but its not like any of those. Anyone knows for sure, would be appreciated. this was sent to me today any guesses what timber it is ALAN

 

[NazNomad]

Looks (and sounds) like Iroko, but I'm not 100% sure.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

iroko.

 

[Ttrees]

Sipo mahogany judging from the side grain figure ...looks like small reflective squares
Tom

 

[Beau]

My first thought is keruing. Is it quite splintery?

 

[hammer n nails]

Looks like iroko to me

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Yes my vote goes to Iroko too and not just because of the looks (which are strikingly similar to the Iroko I've worked) but also the way you describe it's characteristics, which is to say, disgusting stuff. I avoid it like the plague now as I find it awful on the tools and on me!

 

[Ttrees]

I find I'm allergic to all the west African woods ..
I was thinking the redder the timber the more recitative I seem to be to it.
Each side of my bench I've got a stop made form this stuff .....
It is far different to iroko

 

[RobinBHM]

The fleck on the side grain shows it isnt iroko.

There are many tropical timbers with similar indistinct grain, for example keruing, afromosia

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yes, I think you're right. I think we're getting misled by the end grain.