[Andi B.]

Hello,

I have some nice wood but no experience and real idea what kind it is...
I thought it could be Walnut but now someone says, it is (Sapelli) Mahagoni.
The wood smells a bit "oily"...

Any ideas if this is correct?

[Mark Strom]

Looks like some type of mahogany (African or Honduran) or it could be Sapele which is a mahogany substitute. Hard to tell from the pictures. All three do have a acrid oily, smell. African mahogany usually has interwoven grain and is a little more red or pink than the other two.

As for carving, the Honduran mahogany carves the easiest and has a consistent grain, African mahogany has grain that reverses and interweaves and is on the brittle side. Sapele is in between while the wood is a little more dense. The Sapele and the African have the stongest odor. If there are deep purplish bands of grain that are brittle and difficult to carve it is probably African mahogany.

Hope this helps.

Mark

[Toothy]

Hi Mark and Andi

Mark. I agree with your views re these pics. Having used sapele I am inclined to go with sapele here based especially on the first and last photos.
Andi. Must say though its not the nicesest to carve and tends to be brittle but looks good.

Toothy