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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Carving Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Schedules Light-Induced Color Change Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Strength Properties Substitutes Synonyms Texture Toxicity Trade Name Turning Scientific Name Dalbergia retusa Trade Name Cocobolo Family Name Leguminosae Synonyms Dalbergia hypoleuca Common Names Caviuna, Cocobolo, Cocobolo nambar, Cocobolo negro, Cocobolo prieto, Cocoboloholz, Foseholz, Funera, Granadillo, Grandillo, Jacarandaholz, Legitimo, Melon, Namba, Nambar, Nambar de agui, Nambar legitimo, Nicaragua rosewood, Nicaraguan rosewood, Nnambar, Palisander, Palisandre, Palisandro, Palissandro, Palo negro, Palo sandro, Pau preto, Red foxwood, Rosewood, Urauna Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama Common Uses Bedroom suites, Boards, Boxes and crates, Brush backs & handles, Cabinetmaking, Chessmen, Core Stock, Decorative veneer, Drawer sides, Dressed boards, Figured veneer, Furniture , Handles, Inlay work, Kitchen cabinets, Living-room suites, Lumber, Mathematical instruments, Musical instruments, Office furniture, Ornamental work , Plain veneer, Radio - stereo - TV cabinets, Rough boards/dimension stock, Shafts/Handles, Sporting Goods, Tool handles, Turnery, Veneer, Veneer: decorative Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Secure in many areas of its range Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Distribution Overview Pacific regions of Central America and extending from Panama to southwestern Mexico. Of limited occurrence, usually in the drier uplands. Heartwood Color Brown Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Dark brown Black Reddish brown Red Purple Pale red to pink Color varies considerably Boiling the wood in water is reported to remove some of the color. Sapwood Color Yellow Brown White White to yellow Clearly differentiated from the heartwood The freshly cut wood is variable in color. Grain Straight Closed Figure Interlocked Even Wavy Distinct (figure) Variable (figure) Straight Wavy Occasionally interlocked, but not always Irregular color Interlocked Distinct figure Texture Fine Even or uniform Uniform Fine Fine to medium Luster High Medium Slightly lustrous Natural Durability Very durable Resistant to attack from marine borers Durable Cocobolo is very durable and is highly resistant to marine borer attack. Prolonged or repeated immersion in soapy water is reported have very little adverse effect on the wood except to darken its color. Natural oils in the wood tend to promote waterproofing. They also impart a waxy appearance to the wood when it is rubbed with a cloth Odor No specific taste May be fragrant when green Light-Induced Color Change Darker Toxicity Unspecified toxicity Dermatitic effects Respiratory effects Needle-Like crystals can cause skin irritation in some individuals Similar to that caused by poison ivy in some individuals. Kiln Schedules UK=B US=T2C2/T2C1 Fr=2 T1 - B1 US Dry at a slow speed Drying Defects Checking Distortion Moderate surface checking Slight twist/warp Slight surface checking No surface checking Moderate twist/warp Moderate end spitting Casehardening, warping, and checking are common if the wood is kiln-dried from the green condition. Air-seasoning prior to kiln-drying is recommended Ease of Drying Fairly Easy Little degrade Moderate Dries slowly Product Sources Supplies of Cocobolo are dwindling and the price is becoming more costly. Veneers with highly figured grain patterns are occasionally available on the market. Substitutes Goncalo alves (Astronium fraxinofolium and A. graveolens ) for the production of knife handles. Comments Cocobolo is one of the primary species for the manufacture of cutlery, especially for knife handles because of its attractive color, texture, and waterproof characteristics General finishing qualities are rated as good May be Oily Blunting Effect Blunting effect on machining is moderate Blunting effect on sawing dry wood is moderate Cutting edges must be kept sharp Boring Fairly easy to very easy Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Easy to saw Gluing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Difficult to glue Unsuitable for gluing because it contains natural oils Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Moulding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Shape retention after manufacture is usually very good Cocobolo is very stable after seasoning because of its oil content, which acts as a barrier to water absorption Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Poor to Very Poor Results Satisfactory nailing properties Planing Very Good to Excellent Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Relatively easy to bore Planes well, to a good finish Machined surfaces are fairly smooth Generally easy to mortise Easy to use machine tools Easy to plane Easy to mould Resistance to Impregnation Resistant Response to Hand Tools Responds Readily Easy to Work Easy to machine Moderate working qualities Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Very Good Sanding Properties Screwing Pre-boring recommended Good screw holding properties Easy to screw Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Easy to turn Good results Polishing Good results Oil in wood gives fine natural polish A smooth and waxy surface can be achieved by rubbing the wood with a cloth without using any finishes. Staining Finish is generally good Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu. ft. Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft Shrinkage, Radial = very small Density (dry weight) = 75+ lbs/cu. ft. Shrinkage, Tangential = very small Shrinkage, Volumetric = very small Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu.ft. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Bending Strength 8229 9866 psi Crushing Strength 4374 3414 psi Density 63 lbs/ft3 Hardness 1113 lbs Maximum Crushing Strength 4119 5660 psi Static Bending 5056 7883. psi Stiffness 911 1029 1000 psi Specific Gravity 0.74 1.02 Weight 61 54 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 4 % Volumetric Shrinkage 6 % Item Green Dry Metric Bending Strength 578 693 kg/cm2 Crushing Strength 307 240 kg/cm2 Density 1009 kg/m3 Hardness 504 kg Maximum Crushing Strength 289 397 kg/cm2 Static Bending 355 554. kg/cm2 Stiffness 64 72 1000 kg/cm2 Specific Gravity 0.74 1.02 Weight 977 865 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 2 % Tangential Shrinkage 4 % References Berni, C.A., Bolza, E., Christensen, F.J.,1979,South American Timbers - The Characteristics, Properties and Uses of 190,Species,C.S.I.R.O Div. Building Research Bolza, E.,1976,Timber and Health,Div. Building Res. C.S.I.R.O. Australia Boone, R.S., C.J. Kozlik, P.J. Bois, E.M. Wengert. 1988. Dry Kiln Schedules for Commercial Hardwoods - Temperate and Tropical. USDA, Forest Service, General Technical Report FPL-GTR-57, Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wisconsin. Brazier, J.D., Franklin, G.L.,1967,An Appraisal of the Wood Characteristics and Potential Uses of some,Nicaraguan Timbers,FAO for Forest Products Research Laboratory, Princes Risborough Brown, W.H.,1969,Properties and uses of Tropical hardwoods in the United Kingdom. Part 1,Nonstructural properties and uses.,Conference on Tropical hardwoods SC-5/TN-5, Syracuse University Brown, W.H.,1978,Timbers of the World, No. 9 Central America and the Caribbean,TRADA, Red Booklet Series CAOBA International, San Francisco, California. 1993. Personal Communication. Chudnoff, M.,1984,Tropical Timbers of the World,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products,Laboratory, Madison. Harrar, E.S.,1941,Some Physical Properties of Modern Cabinet Woods 1. Hardness,Tropical Woods,9(68,PP1-11 Harrar, E.S.,1942,Some Physical Properties of Modern Cabinet Woods 3. Directional and Volume,Shrinkage,Tropical Woods,9(71, pp26-32 International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) 1991. Pre-project Study on the Conservation Status of Tropical Timbers in Trade. Reported by the World Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC, Cambridge, London Jackson, A. and D. Day. 1991. Good Wood Handbook - The Woodworker's Guide to Identifying, Selecting and Using the Right Wood. Betterway Publications, Cincinnati, Ohio. Kline, M. 1978. Dalbergia retusa - Cocobolo. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. Page 133-134. Kribs, D.A.,1950,Commercial and Foreign Woods on the American Market (a manual to their,structure, identification, uses and distribution,U.S.A. Penn. State College, Tropical Woods Laboratory Kukachka, B.F.,1970,Properties of Imported Tropical Woods,Forest Research Paper FPL 125 Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc., Fresno, California. Longwood, F.R.,1962,Commercial Timbers of the Caribbean,U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Handbook,No.207 Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical Press Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Record, S.J., Mell, C.D.,1924,Timbers of Tropical America,Yale Univ. Press Record, S.J.,1942,American Timbers of the Genera Dalbergia and Machaerium,Tropical Woods,9(72,pp1-10 Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition Volkart, C.,1965,Recopilacion dedatos sobre propiedacies y usos maderos del Bosque Tropical,de las Costa Atlantica de Nicaragua,Turrialba,15(1, pp43-57 Woods, R.P.,1949,Timbers of South America,TRADA, Red Booklet Series Wood, B., Calnan, D.,1976,Toxic Woods,British Journal of Dermat 94 Suppl. 13