Reply by ITnerd

Persimmon. Diospyros Virginiana – the only member of the ebony family native to our shores. I love it because the grain near knots is fantastic, and looks great with nothing more than BLO & wax. It is also tough as all hell – it was used for golf club heads back in the day.

I also have squirrelled away some small exotics, but sadly just of the tool handle size. I am trying to get to where the larger things I build come from local woods. I’m very lucky to have a decent source near the city, Eutree. Call Joel & Simms if you are within reach of Atlanta.

I’ve found Persimmons, Beech, Cherry, Magnolia, Holly and Walnut, among the Oaks there. Christine has a reverse House Arrest bracelet on me that goes off when I take thier highway exit.

Beech is another under-rated wood – sadly, if you use it for anything but hand planes, St. Peter has to make a bad mark beside your name. And Larry Williams will come for you in the night. Nice enough man I’d imagine by his videos, but not someone you want to see coming down a dark alley swinging a coopers jointer.

As a semi-related side note, I’ve got to stop reading about wooden hand planes.

-- Chris @ Atlanta - JGM - Occam's razor tells us that when you hear hoofs, think horses not zebras.