Thread: A little yellow saw

My local sawmill had an unusual tree come in last year. I had never heard of it, let alone seen it, so I bought a small board to play around with. While preparing for a woodworking show last weekend, I needed to make a 10" dovetail saw for display and demos. Since this saw will also double as my personal workshop saw, I decided to try this new wood.


The wood is yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea), a tree native to the southeastern United States. I couldn’t resist its distinctive (and downright unusual, if not jarring) color and attractive grain. Pennsylvania is a bit outside of its normal range, but I am happy to have found it. The color is not for everyone, but its oddity appeals to me. The last picture shows the range of color pretty well. I am told the wood is colorfast, so time will tell if I tire of it.


The wood is fairly dense, but worked well with hand tools and took a great finish (there are several coats of Tru-Oil on this handle). From a materials property standpoint, it is a wonderful wood for a handle. The color? Well, I realize it's not for everyone.