# Coolest or rarest wood you have milled



## motolife313 (May 7, 2019)

just curious what some of your guys cool finds are? I’m thinking mine is apple wood. Don’t be shy


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## BobL (May 8, 2019)

Just about everything I have milled will be cool to you guys so here's is a collage of cuts I put together in 2010 - done a few more since then so I should make up a new one.
The last time I check Canadian AS member Danivan had cut more species than I had but I was getting close to his number.
Mine are all Eucalyptus, but there is one Acacia a couple of Allocasurinas, a Fruit wood and a Melaleuca.



A list of those I have milled that I can remember since the collage was taken includes
Olive wood
Silky Oak
Malaysian Teak.
Camphor Laurel.
Lilli pilli
Cape Lilac
Something called Swamp Mahogany
Liquid Amber
Apple

I have some small Banksia on my stash that I want to mill as soon as I feel well enough


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## James Miller (May 8, 2019)

motolife313 said:


> just curious what some of your guys cool finds are? I’m thinking mine is apple wood. Don’t be shy View attachment 734601


After seeing that I wish I had a mill.
This big apple would have probably maid some nice slabs.


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## motolife313 (May 9, 2019)

Nice doubler Apple tree, that looks very solid. That will make some good camping/cooking wood


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## Bmac (May 9, 2019)

I'm partial to walnut, and there is some primo colors in these;


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## Saiso (May 9, 2019)

James Miller said:


> After seeing that I wish I had a mill.View attachment 734827
> This big apple would have probably maid some nice slabs.


Any reason in particular you cut this apple tree? Seemed to have been doing quite well and pretty, surely.


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## James Miller (May 9, 2019)

Saiso said:


> Any reason in particular you cut this apple tree? Seemed to have been doing quite well and pretty, surely.


It was dieing. Dropped some large branches. My kids swing set was close enough I decided it wasn't worth the risk and took it down. Two truck loads to my firewood racks and one for smoker wood.


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## Saiso (May 9, 2019)

James Miller said:


> It was dieing. Dropped some large branches. My kids swing set was close enough I decided it wasn't worth the risk and took it down. Two truck loads to my firewood racks and one for smoker wood.


Makes sense!


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## rarefish383 (May 12, 2019)

The most fun was a Meta Sequoia, it's so soft I could hardy keep up with the saw, and I got 20+ slabs out of 3 logs, and never had to touch up the chain. Black Walnut is always pretty, made some nice mantels out of Red Oak. We've had so much rain I had a couple big fires in my burn pit. I was cuttine up some odd chunks so they would burn faster. Noodled a chunk of Red Bud and it was beautiful inside, so it got save from the fire. I milled some Fir and it made a nice work bench for my wife's potting shed. Actually, the only thing I've ever milled that let me down a little was some Blue Spruce.


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## motolife313 (May 12, 2019)

What size are you making mantels? I’ve got some nice cedar that will make a nice mantel


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## rarefish383 (May 13, 2019)

motolife313 said:


> What size are you making mantels? I’ve got some nice cedar that will make a nice mantel


I usually mill them at 12/4 so they can be planed down if wanted. Most of what I mill is a little less than 8', because my 8' dump trailer gate won't close on 8'. As far as width, the one set I made for a friends timber framed home were 9" wide for the top, and 4" wide for the bottom.


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## rarefish383 (May 13, 2019)




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## rarefish383 (May 13, 2019)

motolife313 said:


> What size are you making mantels? I’ve got some nice cedar that will make a nice mantel


I usually mill them at 12/4 so they can be planed down if wanted. Most of what I mill is a little less than 8', because my 8' dump trailer gate won't close on 8'. As far as width, the one set I made for a friends timber framed home were 9" wide for the top, and 4" wide for the bottom.


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## motolife313 (May 13, 2019)

Oh cool. I make most of my stuff 3”


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## Hannes Koekemoer (May 17, 2019)

The most rare/interesting I've milled was definitely some pink ivory. The tree had to be taken down because of concerns over safety, so I made the most of the opportunity. Very dense but cuts well, provided I go slowly.


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## Hannes Koekemoer (May 17, 2019)

Second maybe some Common Hookthorn that can also have some nice figure. A bit more difficult to cut than the Pink Ivory.


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## rarefish383 (May 18, 2019)

If no one else said it, welcome to the forum. Yow have some interesting, pretty wood there.


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## Hannes Koekemoer (May 18, 2019)

Thanks, I've been lurking around for about a year or so after I bought a chainsaw on the trade 'n post. Tools are scarce and expensive where I live, but scarce and expensive wood grows every here and there.


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## Deleted member 117362 (May 18, 2019)

Wife made this mantel.


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## motolife313 (May 18, 2019)

I’d like to get some red cedar, it kinda looks like the sequoia


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## BlackCoffin (Dec 12, 2019)

Not too much odd species of wood in the PNW, but plum is probably the most “exotic” that I’ve done. The grain twists so good luck drying it but is very beautiful! Dense wood for these parts as well.



Made this for a friend to mount his black bear skull on. I thought it was ironic the grain made out a bear. Flip it upside down and you’ll see another bear.


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## SS396driver (Dec 12, 2019)

Some black walnut not so exotic . A gift for my grandson
I used apple twigs for the hooks. No glue used 
this now has candle holders on it


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## ML12 (Dec 16, 2019)

motolife313 said:


> I’d like to get some red cedar, it kinda looks like the sequoia


I've cut a ton of cedar, and while most of it was yellow cedar, I did cut some old growth red that was left by a logging operation. Its nice wood, but it is so soft and the dust from cutting/milling/sanding it goes everywhere and cakes everything.

This small boat shelf thing is planked with it.



Turns a beautiful color when you clear coat it.




As you can see, lots of dry rot in the old stuff.


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## kimosawboy (Dec 16, 2019)

I have dealt with some nice exotics from far away in my wood career, but from personal milling my fav. and nicest was some very old growth red cedar. The grain was so tight I had to magnify it on the computer to get a rough age, came in at 750+ years....ended up making headboards from it.


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## csmillingnoob (Dec 19, 2019)

Not exotic (though I understand it is a teak variety) but a small chinaberry that I milled for a carver was the biggest first cut surprise. Wish I had saved pics.


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## pastryguyhawaii (Jan 9, 2020)

I thought this Christmasberry was pretty cool looking. Whether it's good for anything remains to be seen.


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## pastryguyhawaii (Oct 2, 2020)

pastryguyhawaii said:


> I thought this Christmasberry was pretty cool looking. Whether it's good for anything remains to be seen.
> View attachment 787062


I mistakenly called this Christmasberry. It's Brazilian pepper wood. Turned out nice. Dried weird but is fairly solid and has a nice grain.


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## andy at clover (Oct 3, 2020)

^^^^
I like that grain... like “composite“ .
Was the log(s) kind of “punky” by the time it was milled?


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## pastryguyhawaii (Oct 3, 2020)

andy at clover said:


> ^^^^
> I like that grain... like “composite“ .
> Was the log(s) kind of “punky” by the time it was milled?


It wasn't punky when I milled it. This piece warped the most as it dried. The big leg is curved naturally. You can see where I filled in some punky spots. But overall, I am pretty happy with the wood.


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## unclemoustache (Oct 11, 2020)

Nice stuff! I hope to have some interesting things here soon. Mill should be here any day, and we have a big pile of logs to cut. In the meantime, here's a silver maple slab that's just about finished. I didn't mill it, but someone nearby did.


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## buzz sawyer (Oct 12, 2020)

I milled a 24" Chinese Chestnut that had fallen down. The whole tree had intense curly figure. Turns out the tree had been growing on about a 45 deg. angle and had so much stress it was cracking as I milled. Got some smaller pieces nice curly figure. Will get pics.


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## Old Blue (Oct 21, 2020)

pastryguyhawaii said:


> I mistakenly called this Christmasberry. It's Brazilian pepper wood. Turned out nice. Dried weird but is fairly solid and has a nice grain.
> View attachment 858884
> View attachment 858885
> View attachment 858886


Mr Pastryguy
What kind of finish did you use on that pepper?

If thats the same brazillian pepper we have here all over SoCal, I have found that to be a very tough wood. Good long interlocking fibers. That stuff can take a real beating. The whole tree is more like a tortured shrub with branches that just take 90 degree angles every foot or two.

Old Blue
Deep in Kali-Bone-Ya


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## pastryguyhawaii (Oct 21, 2020)

Old Blue said:


> Mr Pastryguy
> What kind of finish did you use on that pepper?
> 
> If thats the same brazillian pepper we have here all over SoCal, I have found that to be a very tough wood. Good long interlocking fibers. That stuff can take a real beating. The whole tree is more like a tortured shrub with branches that just take 90 degree angles every foot or two.
> ...


It does seem pretty tough. Some was a little punky but the rest is solid. A bit like mango. This is what I used for that. I like wax free shellac for the sealer, really brings out the grain. Was surprised to find I liked the triple thick urethane and I put a coat of Renaissance wax to finish.


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## Old Blue (Oct 22, 2020)

pastryguyhawaii said:


> It does seem pretty tough. Some was a little punky but the rest is solid. A bit like mango. This is what I used for that. I like wax free shellac for the sealer, really brings out the grain. Was surprised to find I liked the triple thick urethane and I put a coat of Renaissance wax to finish.


The second pic looks like it has a nice soft glowing luster that really appeals to me. I'm a total beginner at finishing and I think I want to try your technique. 

Zinser comes up in a search for wax free shellac, do you recommend the clear? Are you spraying or brushing? How many coats? Sanding?
Can I ask you the same questions re the triple thick urethane? Gloss, semi gloss or flat?

I have some black acacia slabs that I want to do something with and I think this finish might make em pop really nice! Unfortunately I think the tree was a leaner and the slabs are badly cupped and may have a lot of stress in them. Before I stickered them i tried a cut on the table saw and it just ground it to a stop! But the grain is so beautiful that I will give it some extra effort to see what I can do with it. Maybe some stereo speaker cabinets or something.

Thanks for sharing that with us.
Old Blue
Kali-Bone-Ya


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## Old Blue (Oct 22, 2020)

BobL said:


> Just about everything I have milled will be cool to you guys so here's is a collage of cuts I put together in 2010 - done a few more since then so I should make up a new one.
> The last time I check Canadian AS member Danivan had cut more species than I had but I was getting close to his number.
> Mine are all Eucalyptus, but there is one Acacia a couple of Allocasurinas, a Fruit wood and a Melaleuca.
> View attachment 734649
> ...


Hi Bob
Hope you're feeling well enough real soon!

Can you fill me in re the Melaleuca? I get the impression that it may be a junky soft wood not worth messing with. Is it? How does the grain look. I have heard it's used for wet area fence posts? It just seems to grow so fast that it may not be worth messing with.

What say you?

Old Blue
Taxed about half to death in.... Kali-Bone-Ya


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## buzz sawyer (Oct 24, 2020)

Here's a piece of the curly Chinese Chestnut. I got one log about 20" x 8' long, all curly like this. Unfortunately, the internal stress from growing on a 45 deg angle made it crack apart as I milled it. Should have cut it into smaller lengths first.


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## pastryguyhawaii (Oct 24, 2020)

buzz sawyer said:


> Here's a piece of the curly Chinese Chestnut. I got one log about 20" x 8' long, all curly like this. Unfortunately, the internal stress from growing on a 45 deg angle made it crack apart as I milled it. Should have cut it into smaller lengths first.
> View attachment 863437


That looks pretty cool. What do you plan on doing with it?


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## buzz sawyer (Oct 24, 2020)

Not sure at this point. Maybe some knife handles? I'm hoping to get some pieces yet from the log I milled. I already cut into shorter pieces to minimize the splitting. Hoping to glue up some of it to make bigger pieces.


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## christylleam (Oct 26, 2020)

How to judge?


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## pastryguyhawaii (Oct 30, 2020)

I really like this silver oak. Has a cool snakeskin, lacy grain. A little display board I made for work.


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## buzz sawyer (Oct 30, 2020)

pastryguyhawaii said:


> I really like this silver oak. Has a cool snakeskin, lacy grain. A little display board I made for work.
> 
> View attachment 864982


Yes! Beautiful stuff, and nice to work too.


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## motolife313 (Oct 31, 2020)

BlackCoffin said:


> Not too much odd species of wood in the PNW, but plum is probably the most “exotic” that I’ve done. The grain twists so good luck drying it but is very beautiful! Dense wood for these parts as well.View attachment 779491
> View attachment 779492
> View attachment 779493
> 
> Made this for a friend to mount his black bear skull on. I thought it was ironic the grain made out a bear. Flip it upside down and you’ll see another bear.View attachment 779494


Nice! Plum is one of my favs also. What’s the Shiney coating On the slab?

I use it for cooking also. It’s one of my favorites. Not super hot buring but burns slow


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## motolife313 (Oct 31, 2020)

Some stuff I’ve done. Did the apple couple days ago. The plum was my 2nd time milling couple years ago


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## Down Home Dave (Nov 2, 2020)

english walnut, this one.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Nov 3, 2020)

rarefish383 said:


> I usually mill them at 12/4 so they can be planed down if wanted. Most of what I mill is a little less than 8', because my 8' dump trailer gate won't close on 8'. As far as width, the one set I made for a friends timber framed home were 9" wide for the top, and 4" wide for the bottom.



Calling it out in /4 must be a woodworker thing.

At the mill, we call it by size...ie 1x6, 2x10, 6" D Log, 4" bevel siding, etc.


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## buzz sawyer (Nov 3, 2020)

When I'm dealing with live-edge slabs I use x/4. When dealing with dimensional stuff 2x4, 4x6, etc.


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## BlackCoffin (Nov 8, 2020)

motolife313 said:


> Nice! Plum is one of my favs also. What’s the Shiney coating On the slab?
> View attachment 865134
> I use it for cooking also. It’s one of my favorites. Not super hot buring but burns slow


Been awhile but I believe it’s a satin polyurethane and lightly sanded with 1000 grit after drying.


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## BobL (Nov 11, 2020)

I finally found a pic of probably my favorite - Australian Silky oak, milled in 2012.
There were 3 logs or 3 piles of slabs - one got eaten by termites - they love that stuff.
Most of the remainder wast stolen but there was enough there for my bro to use as his kitchen counter top


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## pastryguyhawaii (Nov 12, 2020)

BobL said:


> I finally found a pic of probably my favorite - Australian Silky oak, milled in 2012.
> There were 3 logs or 3 piles of slabs - one got eaten by termites - they love that stuff.
> Most of the remainder wast stolen but there was enough there for my bro to use as his kitchen counter top
> View attachment 867381


Hi Bob,
How are you doing?
Beautiful wood, it has to be where we got what we call silver oak. Most people here are afraid to work it because they think it's poisonous. I read the yellow flowers have a sap that could be irritating. Doesn't bother but my friend gets a rash if he handles it.


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## BobL (Nov 13, 2020)

pastryguyhawaii said:


> Hi Bob,
> How are you doing?
> Beautiful wood, it has to be where we got what we call silver oak. Most people here are afraid to work it because they think it's poisonous. I read the yellow flowers have a sap that could be irritating. Doesn't bother but my friend gets a rash if he handles it.


Yeah doing OK thanks.

Similar thing for Silky Oak. It has an tactile Silky talcum powdery touch to it and many people have a reaction to the sawdust and wood. The effect ranges from mild skin irritation to a full blow allergy attack affecting breathing. My reaction to it is slight so it doesn't prevent me from working with it but I try to limit my bare hand handling as increased exposure tends to exacerbate any allergy.


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## unclemoustache (Dec 5, 2020)

motolife313 said:


> Nice! Plum is one of my favs also. What’s the Shiney coating On the slab?
> View attachment 865134
> I use it for cooking also. It’s one of my favorites. Not super hot buring but burns slow



what is this fire-on-wheels thingy???


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## unclemoustache (Dec 5, 2020)

Here are three recent gems!

first is (I think) Sugar Maple. 
second is Silver Maple. 
third is oak, milled today.


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## motolife313 (Dec 5, 2020)

unclemoustache said:


> what is this fire-on-wheels thingy???


My smoker


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## unclemoustache (Dec 20, 2020)

More beauties.


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## ChoppyChoppy (Dec 20, 2020)

Does burning wood on meat taste different to some of you guys?

I can't tell any taste between grilling, pan cooked, oven, etc.
Just bbq charcoal, to me the skin tastes chemicals/creosote/rr tie (gross).
Renter has an electric smoker. Last couple meats he did tasted like licking the inside of the woodstove to me.
15 mins on the propane grill much better than hours "smokering"


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## motolife313 (Dec 20, 2020)

Big difference between your crock pot and a smoker or cowboy cooking over open fire. Night and day. You seem Set on your way tho, and those ribs have no bbq sauce just a dry rub and then put them in the smoker with out tampering with them at all, that’s just rendered fat on those 2 ribs


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## 300zx_tt (Dec 25, 2020)

I’m quite fond of maple, when it looks like this!


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## Bmac (Dec 26, 2020)

300zx_tt said:


> I’m quite fond of maple, when it looks like this!


Man that is sweet looking Ambrosia. Is that Silver Maple?


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## 300zx_tt (Dec 27, 2020)

Bmac said:


> Man that is sweet looking Ambrosia. Is that Silver Maple?


Yeah it’s a big old silver. Loved milling it. I have a few of the branches and another large piece of trunk from another tree from the same property still to mill.


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## Herman the German (Dec 27, 2020)

Wow everyone has some pretty impressive slabs there. That slab of ribs looks superb as well. Makes me wanna make some. I'm also wanting to get me a mill to that is a decent price is harbor freight junk or has anyone had one and liked it


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## lone wolf (Dec 27, 2020)

*Chestnut.
*


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## Herman the German (Dec 29, 2020)

It looks a lot like walnut . That's a nice clock did you make that?


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## lone wolf (Dec 29, 2020)

Herman the German said:


> It looks a lot like walnut . That's a nice clock did you make that?


Thanks, yes it does look like Walnut but in real life its a different hue. Yes I make lots of Clocks.


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## KarlD (Dec 29, 2020)

It’s nothing I’ve milled or even cut down, but it’s a very rare timber.

I grew up in Malawi, lived there for my first 12 years. Whilst there my parents had some boxes made for assorted items, including a box to hold a mahjong set and I made a cribbage board. The timber used was unique to one mountain, Mulanje Mountain, and found nowhere else in the world. Or so I believed growing up. The timber in question = Widdringtonia whytei, commonly known as Mulanje cedarwood, but renamed “Mulanje cypress” by the University of the Witwatersrand.

Visually it doesn’t stand out much but the aroma is AMAZING; the 35 year old boxes still retain the smell.

Another interesting (to me at least) and related snippet is that I now live on the Isle of Wight, where a few years ago I was doing some ground clearance around an old property. I was cutting through some old footbridge timbers when I caught a whiff of the above mentioned aroma. Boy did that bring back some strong memories! Saw was stopped and I pulled out the timber I had just cut into.

It was about 12ft long and gently curved, about 4” x 4” at both ends increasing in a handmade manner to 8” x 4” in the middle and it had within it several old handmade nails. We all decided it was probably something that came off a mast, towards the top...and that the ship had been wrecked off the Isle of Wight and washed up timbers repurposed.

When I explained to the customer about the rarity of the timber he decided he should look after it but he did let me keep the little piece that I almost cut off, which released the aroma and alerted me to its nature.

That little block (that’s about 1ft long) is in the truck and I use it to hold the bar up when I sharpen my chains on site.

Whenever I do I smell Malawi and my youth.


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## Herman the German (Dec 29, 2020)

KarlD said:


> It’s nothing I’ve milled or even cut down, but it’s a very rare timber.
> 
> I grew up in Malawi, lived there for my first 12 years. Whilst there my parents had some boxes made for assorted items, including a box to hold a mahjong set and I made a cribbage board. The timber used was unique to one mountain, Mulanje Mountain, and found nowhere else in the world. Or so I believed growing up. The timber in question = Widdringtonia whytei, commonly known as Mulanje cedarwood, but renamed “Mulanje cypress” by the University of the Witwatersrand.
> 
> ...


That's a super cool post. Being reminded of great times in your past is always great.


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## pastryguyhawaii (Jan 15, 2021)

I was given some koa that was downed & beginning to rot. The wider pieces have some punky streaks but the curl is solid. I can't complain, it will all be some nice wood.


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## made_of_stihl (Jan 24, 2021)

Spalted maple and curly maple 2 of my favorites


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