Rosewood (dalbergia) lightest and heaviest

[John Arnold]

It's also one of the very few woods that can actually sink in water (no actress jokes please...)

Actually, there are a lot of woods that sink (over 1000 kg/cubic meter). Many are tropical, but desert ironwood (1210) is one that grows in the US.

Smellwise, IMHO it is hard to beat Brazilian RW, though I also favor black cherry, sassafras and ash.

[redir]

Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher

The most oily rosewood I’ve worked with was a BRW fret board blank. The least oily rosewood I’ve ever seen is a 250 year old BRW back and side set I have. Go figure!

250 years old

Gosh the last 6 sets of BRW I have was cut in the 1950's and I thought that was old. What's the story behind that rosewood?

[redir]

The best smelling wood I have ever worked with is Imbuia. But alas it's not a Dalbergia.

Someone summed up the smell of BRW perfectly when he compared it to the smell of the bubble gum you used to get in those Topps baseball cards.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by John Arnold

Smellwise, IMHO it is hard to beat Brazilian RW, though I also favor black cherry, sassafras and ash.

Sassafras is nice. I like white oak as well. My latest favourite, however, is port Orford cedar, an odd addictive smell. Brazilian is hard to beat. Spanish cedar is also nice.

[Alan Carruth]

South American Cedar (cedro) is the nicest smelling and worst tasting wood I've run into. The oils must go rancid; the first time I licked my lips while resawing some it was extremely bitter.