# Chatoyancy.



## degoose (Mar 20, 2009)

I have your attention… or not..

What exactly is Chatoyancy…

Firstly…
...

'This one vocabulary word sets the serious woodworker apart from his casual counterparts.

I love Chatoyancy and I am sure you do too even if you do not know just what it is…..' *Andy Chidwick*
...

So this is what I mean…Some curly californian redwood.










Some woods (with some finishes) offer different looks when struck by light at different angles.

Chatoyancy is the way light strikes the various grains of timber and gives the effect of it being 3 dimensional.

I hope you find the opportunity to use this word in normal conversation and impress all your woodworking buddies… I know I have… it is a lot of fun…

And one more for kicks…










This on is Quilted Maple.


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## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

Keyboard's getting wet from drooling…


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## EricRFP (Dec 5, 2009)

The first photos look like old growth Redwood. Here are a few samples of the Redwood I have.





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## longgone (May 5, 2009)

I want some of that chatoyancy wood…


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## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

I'm awed.

jamie


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

"Chatoyance" - think "cat's eye shimmer". Whatever, it's drop dead gorgeous! EricRFP, you wood likes like flames. Very nice, indeed.


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## Pawky (Sep 22, 2010)

Is there anything on that wood or is it just dry, unfinished wood?


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## Karson (May 9, 2006)

Yes there is something on the wood. It's drool.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

Thats some nice looking grain.


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## BigTiny (Jun 29, 2010)

Like, WOW!


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

Holy crap!


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

I had no idea that redwood could look like that finished. In fact, I never saw any redwood finished, but that is just breath taking.


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## Bob42 (Jan 9, 2008)

As others have said, Holy crap, WOW Batman. That is some special wood.


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## DonH (Sep 8, 2010)

I am fortunate to have some old growth quilted redwood and am still looking for a project to do it justice.

Great stuff!!


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## mattg (May 6, 2008)

Wood porn!!!


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## moonls (Mar 23, 2010)

All the pictures are eye popping! They show what beauty can be found hidden inside the bark of a tree!


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## lanwater (May 14, 2010)

Wow I live in redwood country and that's the first time I see it.


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## LeeJ (Jul 4, 2007)

Hey, how do you spell that?

Beautiful wood, Larry!

Lee


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## TimSelf (Sep 20, 2010)

I would just about kill for wood like that! Absolutely beautiful.


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## swirt (Apr 6, 2010)

I've fallen and I can't get up. WOW that is the most amazing wood I have ever seen.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

I've gotta get a towel…


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## TJ65 (Jan 19, 2010)

Chatoyancy….. gotta remember that. 
That wood OMG. Had to laugh at Matt's remark… wood porn. Good one!


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

Wow, wow and double wow!!!!


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## richgreer (Dec 25, 2009)

FWIW - the word "chatoyancy" is normally used to refer to minerals and gems. However, it also applies to some woods.


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## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

degoose, Please let me challenge you with a question. In your first pic, I would call the two pieces in the middle 'curly', as when you hear of 'curly maple', although I realize yours are not maple. Whereas the one on the right has waves in all kinds of directions, which I would more likely identify as having chatoyancy. Does one contain the other or are they totally separate? My guess is that 'curly maple' has 'chatoyancy' but a board with 'chatoyancy' is not necessarilly 'curly'. Maybe you or someone else could clear this up for me. 

In addition, for the life of me, I couldn't tell you the difference between 'curly maple', 'fiddleback maple', 'tiger maple', and 'quilted maple'. Are these all considered the same? Only one I might buy as being physically different might be fiddleback maple since it is presumably always split with a froe rather than cut.

Rance (wandering two and froe)


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## degoose (Mar 20, 2009)

I think that you have answered your own questions.


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