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Wenge
Wenge Lumber @ Rare Woods USA
Wenge is unique among the world's exotic woods. This tough tropical wood's distinctive deep chocolate color -- which can sometimes augmented by muted gold, orange, red or even burgundy tint -- is actually known as "Wenge" in the color spectrum nomenclature of various parts of the world (with paint manufacturers, etc.). Its grains are generally straight (though sometimes wavy or irregular) and are accenuated by overlapping black lines which typically decorate the board's surface.While being considered a strong, durable wood, Wenge's course, rugged texture makes it very splintery -- making some craftsmen hesitant to use it. It can be difficult to work, although is glues well and is considered a very dimensionally stable species.Exercise caution when working with this wood. Its splinters can be like little razors and when one pentetrates the skin, it is quite painful and the area can quickly and easily get infected, if quick action isn't taken to remove it (the splinter) and sterilize the area.Although most sources consider Wenge to be a dull wood with poor natural luster, our experience has revealed that a deep, glossy luster can sometimes emerge through fine-grit sanding of flatsawn boards. Its combination of relatively light weight, rot & insect resistance and impressive tensil strength has yielded the wood to a variety of indoor and outdoor uses, being particularly well suited for flooring in heavy traffic areas.
bows, cabinetry, flooring, furniture, handles, paneling, specialty items, veneer, walking sticks
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Walnut - African
Walnut - African Lumber @ Rare Woods USA
African Walnut is derived from the Lovoa Trichilioides tree -- a monoecious, evergreen that is indigenous to Central and Southern Africa's tropical regions. Its heartwood color can vary anywhere from a golden brown to a reddish brown, often with darker streaks and/or portions. Over time, its color will darken to deeper brown tones. The sapwood is narrow, grey to beige in color, and clearly demarcated from the heartwood. Despite it not being a true walnut (of the Juglans genus), it shares many of the basic characteristics.

African Walnut's grains are typically straight or slightly interlocked -- yielding good working properties -- with a fine to medium, consistent texture and a fine natural luster. Finding figured pieces is not uncommon. It turns, glues and finishes well. The wood is considered moderately durable.
boatbuilding, cabinetry, carving, flooring, furniture, gun stocks, joinery, paneling, specialty items, turnings, veneer
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Panga Panga
Panga Panga Lumber @ Rare Woods USA
Panga Panga is the first cousin to Africa's more popular and well-known exotic, Wenge (with both trees being of the Millettia genus) -- sharing a similar large pored, course texture, and presenting some of the same challenges when working. It is generally a bit lighter colored, with heartwood ranging from the lighter to darkers sides of medium brown, with dark brown to black streaks and/or highlighted grain lines. Darker examples can be easily confused with Wenge, and they have been known to turn almost black as they age.
fine furniture, flooring, paneling, specialty items, trim, turnings, veneer
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Pau Marfim
Pau Marfim Lumber @ Rare Woods USA
Pau Marfim is a dense, fine textured, mostly straight grained hardwood which is generally a creamy white colorm but it can vary from a lemon color to a pale yellowish-brown, also. There is very little contrast between its sapwood and heartwood, although the heartwood can be decorated with darker streaks, occasionally. It is an extremely tough, durable wood, which has seen it utilized as a popular substitute for maple and birch and makes it an ideal choice for anything from flooring to tool handles.

The wood turns excellently, and it is easy to nail, crew or glue. It polishes to a smooth, fine finish, and is considered to be a very dimensionally stable wood.
cabinetry, canoes, carving, flooring, furniture, handles, oars, paneling, specialty items, turnings, veneer
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Poplar (American Tulipwood)
Poplar (American Tulipwood) Lumber @ Rare Woods USA
The Yellow Poplar (Liriodendron Tulipifera) tree is the tallest of all Eastern US hardwoods; the wood it yields is some of the least dense. Yellow Poplar is characterized by a light muted cream color, often with mineral-stained streaks typically of gray and/or green. (Sapwood is ivory- to white-colored, easily distinguished from the heartwood.) Although, traditionally, Poplar has been long considered a "utility" type of lumber, the wood's straight, uniform grains and medium texture affords it very cooperative working properties, and it glues and finishes well when finely sanded.

Yellow Poplar is moderately durable, in spite of its inherent light weight and low density, which has seen it commonly used for crates and pallets throughout the US.
crafting, lutherie, musical Instruments, paneling, utility lumber, veneer
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Mahogany - Pod
Mahogany - Pod / Chamfuta Lumber @ Rare Woods USA
Pod Mahogany is a light reddish-brown wood, indigenous to the southeastern region of Africa. (Sapwood is easily distinguishable, with its pale yellow coloration.) It is a very hard wood -- considerably more dense, stable and durable than any other 'mahogany substitute' wood. More dense specimens have been used for a number of demanding outdoor applications in Africa, yet premium-grade pieces can hold their own, aesthetically, with the finest exotic woods in the world -- often boasting a high degree of chatoyance, and a remarkably deep, 3D-like figure.
construction, fencing, flooring, furniture, inlay, paneling, utility lumber
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