Is cocobolo wood legal?

Currently, cocolobo is CITES restricted in Guatemala and the Panamanian government has issued a moratorium on logging it. Cocobolo has all but disappeared in Costa Rica due to illegal logging practices. Therefore the primary legal sources for true cocobolo rosewood are Mexico and Nicaragua.

Is cocobolo banned?

Resolution No AG-0260-2011 prohibited the harvest of live cocobolo trees, yet allowed the harvest of fallen trees, stumps, and roots.

Is cocobolo wood endangered?

This timber and finished products made of it are both listed in CITES Appendix II. Cocobolo is also listed on the IUCN Red List (2020) as (being) critically endangered.

What is cocobolo wood used for?

Besides its use on guns and knives, cocobolo is favored for fine inlay work on custom, high-end cue sticks, police batons, pens, brush backs, bowls, pipes, jewelry boxes, desktops and other expensive specialty items.

Is cocobolo a heavy wood?

Cocobolo is heavy, strong, durable and resistant to preservative treatments. Its uses include architectural woodwork, turnery, tool handles, musical and scientific instruments and specialty items. The wood is also very popular for use as cutlery handles.

What is COCOBOLO wood? - Dalbergia retusa - Tommy's Tonewoods

Why is cocobolo so expensive?

It is much harder to mill and even harder to get good undamaged straight boards so you can work with them. Hardwoods of this nature eat through expensive cutting bits in weeks, where as the same bit would last a lifetime with normal woods.

Is cocobolo hard to carve?

The wood is very durable and strong, with a fine texture. It is extremely beautiful, ranging in color from dark red to reddish brown, with an irregular grain pattern. Cocobolo has fantastic working characteristics, making it a favorite for turning and carving, and finishes very smoothly.

Can you buy cocobolo?

Mexican cocobolo is the highest-quality cocobolo available and is what we offer at AdvantageLumber.com.

Is cocobolo better than rosewood?

Cocobolo is a stronger wood, often more difficult to work with. This, of course, impacts the tone. Brazilian rosewood brings a bright sound. But cocobolo adds more treble to the mix.

Where is cocobolo found?

Cocobolo Dalbergia retusa

retusa, commonly known as cocobolo, is a small to medium-sized tree native to Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama. Cocobolo's distinctive characteristic is its production of natural oils, which provides the wood with a natural waterproof polish.

What is the most toxic wood?

Those woods are usually the more exotic tropical hardwoods, such as rosewood, padauk, and teak, but sassafras (a relatively common found wood) can cause breathing problems, nausea, or even cancer.

Is cocobolo the same as rosewood?

Cocobolo is a true Rosewood, similar in color & tap tone to Brazilian Rosewood and considered to be a good substitute. It is denser than most Rosewoods and oilier. For best results in gluing, epoxy is recommended. Cocobolo has great working properties & turns to a naturally glass-like polish.

Is it illegal to own rosewood?

No, it is not illegal to buy or ship rosewood across international borders. However, specific regulations and laws must be followed to purchase or ship rosewood. To successfully import rosewood into the U.S., you will need an export certificate from the exporting country's CITES management authority.

What guitar wood is illegal?

An international crackdown on illegal logging in tropical forests has ensnared the makers of some guitars and other musical instruments, whose top-end products require small amounts of rosewood, a material prized for its rich, multicolored grain and resonant sound.

Is selling rosewood furniture illegal?

The good news is that if you own an item made of rosewood, you should be able to travel with it without issue. But the bad news is that if you are selling any type of rosewood (either as lumber, or as a finished product), you can no longer (legally) ship it out of your country.

Is cocobolo good for guitars?

Cocobolo is an amazing acoustic and classical guitar fretboard tonewood, though it's not as popular as East Indian and Brazilian rosewood.

What is a cocobolo desk?

Cocobolo desks are highly sought-after desks made of rare Central American cocobolo wood. Collectors revere cocobolo wood for its colorful, streaked wood grain. While predominantly brown in color, common accent grain colors include yellow, red, purple, and even black.

What wood has the best tone?

Spruce. This evergreen, found in northern temperate regions of the globe, is literally top choice: the ideal wood for the soundboard, or top, of an acoustic guitar. Its look — light in color, even in grain — is appealing though somewhat plain; what sets it apart is its beautiful tonal properties.

What is the hardest wood?

1. Australian Buloke – 5,060 IBF. An ironwood tree that is native to Australia, this wood comes from a species of tree occurring across most of Eastern and Southern Australia. Known as the hardest wood in the world, this particular type has a Janka hardness of 5,060 lbf.

What is Snakewood?

noun. the heavy, dark-red wood of a South American tree, Piratinera guianensis, used for decorative veneers, musical instrument bows, etc.

What is Purple Heart wood?

DESCRIPTION. Purpleheart heartwood is a deep purple-violet when freshly cut, maturing to a dark brown. The original color is restored when re-cut. Grain is straight, but often irregular, wavy and sometimes interlocked. Texture is moderate to fine.

Does cocobolo darken with age?

Sapwood is typically a very pale yellow. Colors are lighter when freshly sanded/cut, and darken with age; for more information, see the article on preventing color changes in exotic woods. Grain/Texture: Grain is straight to interlocked, with a fine even texture. Good natural luster.

How do you glue cocobolo?

Cocobolo, use epoxy. Titebond "could" work sometimes, epoxy "will" work. Attached pic I used Cocobolo for the top, board and binding. Epoxy as adhesive, no issues.