Looking for a substitute for Boxwood

FREDDY ROMAN

Well-known member
Hello All,

I am looking for a substitute for boxwood and love anyones input.  I found some years ago and I just ran out.  I would have thought that I could remember the species but I don't.  So if you have any input or information I would greatly appreciate it.

FR
 
Clark and Williams and Matt Bickford use Persimmon for the boxing on their planes. It is a dark, muddy color, but has very good wearing properties.

If it is for small pieces or turnings, I like Pear. It carves wonderfully, takes great detail, and is light in color, although not as light as Boxwood.
 
Here are some closeups of some wood I bought for boxwood, but was later told it is Turkish? I bought this with the intention of making some planes with it. I believe it's called Pau Marfim(Pau Marfim Specific Gravity.73). Anyway I know some more is available. I believe it's 7/4 material. I'll check tomorrow and see. If you're interested I'll get you a price and a sample. You can get rough, surfaced, resawn and/or sanded.

Tony
 

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I'll second John's recommendation of European or Swiss Pear. It's a delight to work with: tight grain, beautiful color, holds a crisp edge.
 
The boxwood is going to be used for stringing, bell flowers, motifs.  I can used Ceylon Satinwood but the original is supposedly boxwood and the customer would rather have what is on the original. 

FR

Turkish Boxwood:

I would love to know more info on Turkish Boxwood regarding size and cost.  Thanks

FR
 
I wouldn't mind hearing about Turkish boxwood either. Most commercial boxwood used to be from there, but by the late 19th century most of the supply started coming from South America. It was a slightly different species, I believe. I've been looking for boxwood for a while.

I think that Righteous Woods in Rowley MA has some boxwood, if you check with them Freddie. They should be in your neck of the woods as well. Try this:

http://www.righteouswoods.net/boxwood_asian.html
 
The issue with most European Boxwood is that it comes in small sizes.  I would need at least 22 inch lengths and for a lot inlay.  So I would like something really similar.  In the end Satinwood may be another solid option.

FR
 
I cannot verify the pictures I previously posted are Turkish boxwood or even boxwood for that matter. I do know I have the only pieces my supplier had.

What I am sure of is the Pau Marfim(Balfourodendron riedelianum) I mentioned, also known by these names: Farinha-seca, Gramixinga, Guataia, Guatambu blanco / moroti, Ibira-nete, Ibiranoti, Ivorywood, Marfim, Moroti, Pao liso, Pao marfim, Pau liso, Pequia marfim, Quatamba.

Characteristics: The wood is whitish-yellow to lemon coloured, with little distinction between sapwood and heartwood. The texture is very fine and uniform, the grain straight or irregular, occasionally interlocked, and the wood has a medium luster. It weighs about 800 Kg / m3 when dried.

The source is South America - Brazil, Paraguay, & Argentina.  This was labeled when it came in with the name Pequia marfim.
The pack is labeled 4/4,5/4,6/4. It is mostly 6/4 and maybe some 7/4. The rough price is $5.00 BdFt. This is my suppliers price and you can contact him direct if you like. I would be willing to send samples for serious inquiries from SAPFM members. I would slice off some 1/8" pieces at least 2" wide and about 8" long so I could use a regular envelope.

The attached pictures are not true in color, the background is on a white sheet of paper(90 brightness). The last one seems the truest color on my monitor.
 

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Final

RE: Turkish boxwood - David Keller mentions these sites as a source of Turkish boxwood on Sawmill Creek.

http://www.anexotichardwood.com/index.html
http://www.octopus.com.tr/store/
 

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Freddy-  might want to check this place out-  www.eisenbrandhardwoods.com  Dont know if you know of them or not. 

Pete Aleksa
www.cherrybrookwoodworks.com

 
Well 5.00 a bd. ft. is a great price and the color from what I can tell is good.  So I would love to purchase at this point one board.  For I would need to make sure that the material will work with what I want to do.  So I guess contact me at [email protected] so we can proceed in the process of purchasing material.  Thanks

FR
 
Freddy - If your customer insists on boxwood, I'd recommend using the real stuff, so long as they're willing to pay for it.  true buxus species several characteristics that make them unique.  Specifically, one cannot see any grain whatsoever unless using a powerful magnifying glass, and the wood has a remarkable resilence to splitting.  That last property is why boxwood is the premeir wood for chisel handles and other tools that must be struck during the course of use.  That might be important for inlay, as well.

However, if your customer is OK with a substitute that's cheaper, I would strongly recommend American Holly as the preferred alternative.  It's bone-white when new, ages very similarly to boxwood, is readily available, has much historic precedent as an inlay wood, and is reasonably OK to work with (it doesn't split and shatter nearly as easily as ebony when used for the same purpose).

I have both Holly and the south american boxwood substitute in my stock, and I would choose holly over the SA boxwood substitute any day.  The SA alternative is a sort of very light lemon-yellow color when freshly cut, which might look a bit odd on your customer's piece.
 
I know this thread is old now, but I have a source for genuine boxwood if anyone is interested, Rare Woods USA, located in Mexico, Maine (http://www.rarewoodsusa.com/). I have bought some 4/4 and 8/4 boxwood and it is great stuff. I saw at least fifteen pallets of the stuff, mostly 4/4, with some 8/4. It is all about three feet long, and three to six inches wide.

In addition to the boxwood, they have a good selection of native hardwoods, including some of the nicest wide birdseye maple I've seen in a long time. They also have the most incredible variety and quantity of exotics I've seen in one place, including many species I've ever heard of, crotches, etc. It's a great place.

I have no connection except as a happy customer, and as one who spent a lot of time looking around for good boxwood.
 
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