Learn About Exotic Woods
Whittling with Basswood: A Beginner's Complete Starter Guide
Basswood is the wood most suitable for beginners to start whittling because of its even texture and lack of knots that allow a knife blade to glide effortlessly on any...
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How Long Does Burl Wood Need to Dry Before Turning?
Burl wood generally requires from three months to a full year for drying prior to turning, depending upon the preparation of the burl wood. A bowl blank that has been...
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Stabilized Wood vs Natural Wood: What Knifemakers and Turners Need to Know
Stabilized wood is a type of wood where natural wood is infused with resin in a vacuum to ensure the cell structure of the wood becomes stiff and moisture-resistant. Natural...
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Why Does Purpleheart Wood Turn Brown? How to Restore Its Color
Purpleheart wood typically loses its color because of the "photo oxidation" process which breaks down the pigments in the heartwood of this tree. The purple pigments are not lost, but...
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What Does Janka Hardness Mean, and Why Does It Matter for Woodworkers?
The Janka hardness test can be conducted to find out how much force needs to be exerted to push a ball of steel into the wood. Some hardness figures are...
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Cedar Balls: The Natural Way to Protect Clothes From Moths
If there is any time that you have brought out your favorite sweater after a long while to wear and discovered it full of holes, then you know why a...
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Guitar Saddles, Nuts, and Bridge Pins Explained: A Buying Guide for Luthiers
Saddle, nut, and bridge pin are the three tiny components that play a critical role in determining the tone, sustain, and string action of an acoustic guitar. Bone is the...
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Koa Wood: The Complete Guide for Luthiers and Woodworkers
Koa (Acacia koa) is an exquisite type of Hawaiian wood that is very popular amongst guitar luthiers for its well-balanced and beautiful tones as well as unique curly grain. This...
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Mahogany vs. Rosewood Back and Sides: A Luthier’s Comparison
The mahogany wood gives a warm and mid forward sound which is easy to work on and suitable for finger style and folk instruments. On the other hand, rosewood gives...
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Quartersawn vs flat-sawn tonewoods: why the cut matters for acoustic guitar builds
Quartersawn tonewoods are cut with their growth rings running near perpendicular to the face of the board. This results in the straighter grain lines/truer dimensional stability/more rigid widthwise of Quartersawn...
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