# Need help identifying wood blanks



## Lenny (Sep 4, 2010)

I recently ordered some pen blanks from Harris Burls (Nolan), and as I explained here ...
http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=67209

got more than I expected. While it's a nice problem to have, I'm not sure what some of them are.:redface: 

I would greatly appreciate your help trying to identify them!


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## hewunch (Sep 4, 2010)

Well the second from the left on the 2nd picture looks like bias cut zebrawood. And the one on top looks like bocote. The one to the right of the zebra looks like cherry burl. On the first pic the second on the right look like mallee (brown) and far right looks like thuyah (and I am not sure I am spelling these all correctly.


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## Lenny (Sep 4, 2010)

The bias cut zebra was one I was pretty sure about .... thought the one on the top was the same ... but you may be right, it does look like bocote.
At least one (maybe more) smelled like licorice...?


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## David Keller (Sep 5, 2010)

I think the three in the middle of the first pic are your amboyna burl.  The third from the right and the far right of the first pic look like red mallee to me.  The one between those two could be red morrel burl.  The three on the left of the first photo are beyond me...  They look like some mesquite that I've seen, but I don't know that Nolan carries mesquite.

I agree with the zebra and bocote as identified...  bocote smells a little like pickles to me.  The blank at the bottom of the right hand photo and the one on the far left look like redwood to me.  The three lighter colored blanks on the right side of the second photo look a bit like locust burl which I know he carries.  The blanks on either side of those look a bit like camphor burl, but if it was camphor you could smell it.  Amboyna or redwood can both look a bit like that also, but amboyna has a pretty distinct smell as well.

There you have my best guesses.


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## ThomJ (Sep 5, 2010)

Yep thats wood


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## Lenny (Sep 5, 2010)

David Keller said:


> There you have my best guesses.


 

Thanks, David


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## rjwolfe3 (Sep 5, 2010)

Stupid question - couldn't you ask Nolan or did he not know?


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## Lenny (Sep 5, 2010)

rjwolfe3 said:


> Stupid question - couldn't you ask Nolan or did he not know?


 
Not a stupid question at all :redface:

I guess I had heard he was rather busy dealing with his other business, so I didn't want to trouble him, but thought he might possibly see the thread and chime in at some point.... (then we can see how accurate everyone's guesses were)

I also thought it might be of interest to others who might not have seen some of these woods, as well as the process by which others use to help determine each species.


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## Lenny (Sep 6, 2010)

Anyone else have a guess or want to confirm what has been said already?

Thanks


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