Thread: Snakewood

i was under the impression snakewood was american....

i have seen a few american builders use it for tops and fretboards,

they say its extrememly hard on tools...

Acacia Xiphophylla. Native to Western Oz.

Other timbers are occasionally also known as snakewood too.

interesting....

sounds like a job for google

Originally Posted by Andrew_B

interesting....

sounds like a job for google

Hi Andrew --I've already Google it --it grows in the Pilbara region. and there's not a lot of it.

Thanks for the effort Andrew and Stu.
Cheers Tony.

The Descriptions of Authentic Australian Exotic woods for knife handles, handle inlays - suppliers. Page 2 of 3.

down the page a little...

AUSTRALIAN SNAKEWOOD (Acacia xiphophylla)
It grows in desert of West Australia. Uncommon.
It is called that because the limbs of the tree curve like snakes.
The wood is very unlike South American Snakewood. It is almost as hard and dense, but is dark brown-black with very fine golden streaks, no figure, fine texture, does not have the wonderful and unique spots and stripes of the South American one. Limited availability.
Hard and dense, it is tougher, less prone to splitting, finishes very well with oils and surface finishes.
Weighs 80 lbs per cubic foot.

Originally Posted by R3R

The Descriptions of Authentic Australian Exotic woods for knife handles, handle inlays - suppliers. Page 2 of 3.

down the page a little...

AUSTRALIAN SNAKEWOOD (Acacia xiphophylla)
It grows in desert of West Australia. Uncommon.
It is called that because the limbs of the tree curve like snakes.
The wood is very unlike South American Snakewood. It is almost as hard and dense, but is dark brown-black with very fine golden streaks, no figure, fine texture, does not have the wonderful and unique spots and stripes of the South American one. Limited availability.
Hard and dense, it is tougher, less prone to splitting, finishes very well with oils and surface finishes.
Weighs 80 lbs per cubic foot.

I have a piece of South American Snakewood about 6" long by 3" x 3/8th". The price I paid for it equates to about $240K a cubic metre (Huon Pine is about $9K a cube). One day I'm going to make keys for my Les Paul Gibson out of it to replace the crappy green retro ones that come standard. Need the confidence to cut it without ruining it though.