# Wood Identification Help Needed - Walnut, Mahogany...?



## D11RDozer

I'm looking for some help in identifying these two boards I recently acquired. My uncle gave me the wider board and told me it is Mahogany. The other board I bought in a going-out-of-business lot from a custom cabinet maker that told me it was Walnut. I'm having a hard time telling the difference and am wondering how similar the two woods are. To me the one that is supposed to be Mahogany could just as easily be Walnut, though it does seem to be a little more dense. The boards are nice and wide rough cut 8/4 planks. I planed a bit off the face of each board (pics 3 and 4) to see what was below the rough surface, but I still can't tell the difference. So, I'm posting some pictures here to see what others think I have here.


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## ShaneA

The board on the right of pics looks to be the walnut board. Wetting a small area with water may help tell them apart as well. The walnut should be a little more of a deeper brown, while the mohagany board may have a slighy redder tone. Both boards are very nice, good score.


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## live4ever

Cut and sniff?


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## D11RDozer

I've never worked with either wood before so I don't know what the difference in smell would be either.


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## okwoodshop

The right is walnut left mahogany, nice boards. what you gonna build?


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## D11RDozer

okwoodshop, if that's the case, both guys were wrong.

Seems to me that both are walnut. So far that seems validated since the assumption of two post to this point say the "mahogany" board is walnut.

Not sure what to build with these yet. I'm open to suggestions there as well.


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## WDHLT15

I believe that the fourth pic is mahogany. It shows the striped effect of the spiral grain that is characteristic of mahogany. The stripes are caused by the angle of the vessel elements (water conducting cells) changing each year so that they reflect the light differently and show the striped effect. I am not sure which board is featured in the fourth pic, but I believe that at least one of the boards must be mahogany.


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## D11RDozer

The 4th picture is the narrower, lighter one in all the pictures, the one that is supposed to be walnut.


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## okwoodshop

Okay, after looking closer I may have to change my mind. As my monitor came over on the mayflower the color is no longer accurate. I still believe the board on the right is walnut but the one on the left may be also but with more sap wood showing.here are a couple pics of walnut and mahogany.The board on the right is mahogany


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## Ripthorn

The left is walnut (possibly steamed) and the one on the right is definitely mahogany, probably african mahogany (khaya).


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## live4ever

Ripthorn - are you referring to the OP's (D11RDozer) boards or the photo that okwoodshop posted in the thread? Because those are different boards and the difference is quite obvious in okwoodshop's example.

Personally I'm feeling like both boards are walnut…a little cut and sniff from someone who has worked with walnut would confirm.


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## Tennessee

In the photo posted by okwoodshop, the left is walnut, the right could be mahogany, but it would be a lesser cut, maybe towards the top of the tree.


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## lespaul123

The left is definitely walnut and the one on the right looks like some ribbon mahogany if it is pretty dense it may be something else


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## WDHLT15

After looking at the pics again, I also think that they are both walnut.


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## JamesVavra

I also think they are both walnut. Do the shavings from the small bit you planed smell the same? Despite not having worked with it before, walnut has a distinctly different smell from mahogany.


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## D11RDozer

I couldn't really detect any smell from either. Maybe my sniffer is broken. I did plane a bit more into the larger board and I'm really thinking it's walnut.

I guess in some sense it doesn't matter so long as whatever I build has a consistent look to the grain and color. Maybe two single board projects.


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## EPJartisan

I think they are both walnut…, one on the left could be a European Walnut for it is lighter in color… but I am guessing both are the same. In one of those pictures they look so light I would have said black cherry but not by the close ups…. say…. can you post photos of the end grain. Mahogany has interlocking grain and Walnut has open grain (which is why I am guessing both as walnut) and their growth rings are very different. I agree with Live4ever… Walnut has a very very distinct smell, but then I am very scent sensitive, and walnut makes me break out in hives, but mahogany does not.. LOL.


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