Help identifying wood please

[Simon89]

Hi all,

I’ve been given some blocks of wood but unsure what it is, any ideas?

Also thoughts on the suitability for use as a children’s toy would be great (just want to know it’s not massively toxic or anything!)

 

[Trevanion]

I think that’s Greenheart, pretty common stuff the see used as sea barriers and other stuff in contact with sea water.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Do they sink?

 

[adidat]

Looks like American black walnut to me????

Which if it is then it's a lovely wood. Smells nice easy to work. And finishes beautifully. Be careful as it's quite soft.

Adidat

 

[Roxie]

American Walnut +1

John

 

[Simon89]

Thanks for the help

 

[Trevanion]

I was looking at the photos on my phone earlier which didn't give the best clarity, to be honest.

I'm not 100% certain whether it's Greenheart or Walnut, the face grain does look a bit like Walnut but the end grain doesn't particularly look like it to me. If it's got a greenish hue to the timber that's a tell-tale sign of Greenheart, but some pieces can be completely brown in colour.

Or as Phil said, you could try dunking it in a bucket of water and if it's extremely buoyant it's probably Walnut, if it sinks or only just about floats it's probably Greenheart.

 

[Keith 66]

You will soon know when you try & run a plane across it, Greenheart is hellish hard, rather like trying to plane cast iron!