Common Name(s): Cocobolo, Cocobola
Scientific Name: Dalbergia retusa
Distribution: Central America
Tree Size: 45-60 ft (14-18 m) tall, 1.5-2 ft (50-60 cm) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 67 lbs/ft3 (1,070 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: .89
Hardness: 3,180 lbf (14,140 N)*
*Estimated hardness based on specific gravity
Rupture Strength: No data available: most likely in excess of 18,970 lbf/in2 (130,830 kPa), the values for Brazilian Rosewood (Dalbergia nigra)
Elastic Strength: No data available: most likely in excess of 1,880,000 lbf/in2 (12,970 MPa), the values for Brazilian Rosewood (Dalbergia nigra)
Crushing Strength: No data available: most likely in excess of 9,600 lbf/in2 (66.2 MPa), the values for Brazilian Rosewood (Dalbergia nigra)
Shrinkage: Radial: 2.7%, Tangential: 4.3%, Volumetric: 7.0%, T/R Ratio: 1.6

Color/Appearance:
Cocobolo can be seen in a kaleidoscope of different colors, ranging from yellow, orange, red, and shades of brown with streaks of black or purple. 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/Pore:
Has small to medium sized pores and a fine texture. The grain can sometimes be interlocked.

Endgrain:
Diffuse-porous; medium pores in no specific arrangement; solitary and radial multiples of 2-3; various mineral deposits occasionally present; growth
rings distinct due to marginal parenchyma; rays not visible without lens; apotracheal parenchyma diffuse-in-aggregates, banded, paratracheal parenchyma
scanty, and vasicentric.

Durability:
Like most rosewoods, Cocobolo has natural oils that give it excellent resistance to decay.

Workability:
Due to the high oil content found in this wood, it can occasionally cause problems with gluing. Also, the wood’s color can bleed into surrounding wood
when applying a finish, so care must be taken on the initial seal coats not to smear the wood’s color/oils into surrounding areas. Tearout can occur
during planing if interlocked grain is present; the wood also has a moderate blunting effect on cutting edges/tools due to its high density. Cocobolo has
excellent turning properties.

Scent:
Cocobolo has a distinct spice-like scent when being worked, which some find unpleasant: though it has been used in at least one women’s perfume.

Safety:
As with nearly all rosewoods in the Dalbergia genus, Cocobolo contains sensitizers which can irritate the skin, and cause allergic reactions in some
people. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Price/Availability:
Cocobolo is in limited supply, (proposals have been made—as of yet unsuccessfully—to add Cocobolo as an endangered species in the CITES Appendix II), and
is also in relatively high demand, (for ornamental purposes), and is likely to be quite expensive. Prices should compare similarly to other rosewoods in
the Dalbergia genus.

Comments:
One of today’s most prized lumbers for its outstanding color and figure; yet also one of the most notorious for being difficult to glue, and it’s
tendency to cause allergic reactions in woodworkers. Cocobolo is used for fine furniture, musical instruments, turnings, and other small specialty
objects.
Also, there are a few misleading reports of Cocobolo’s Janka hardness being only about 1,100 lbf, and it’s modulus of elasticity at only about 1,100,000
lbf/in2: which is almost certainly either a typo or a different wood than what is commonly called Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa). Reports indicate that
Cocobolo is stronger and denser than Brazilian Rosewood, and that is the basis for the strength values (bending strength and modulus of elasticity) that
are quoted at the top of this page.
Specific gravity is used to predict the hardness of wood with a fair degree of accuracy, and given its incredibly high density, (it

sinks in water:
Cocobolo’s hardness (and other strength properties) is most likely several
times higher than the 1,100 lbf which is sometimes
WE CAN PROVIDE THIS WOOD FROM SOUTH&CENTER AMERICA FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT US
Cocobolo is a Wonderful Hardwood Flooring Choice

One of the world’s most prized woods is Cocobolo. Words cannot describe how visually appealing this exotic hardwood is. What is cocobolo? Cocobolo is
an exotic hardwood found in Mexico, Central American countries, and parts of northern South America. Cocobolo is also known as tampiciran, cocobola,
cocobolo rosewood and its scientific name, Dalbergia Retusa also including the recent discovery of Dalbergia Granadillo. The heartwood is striking and
multicolored with tones of red, orange, and sometimes purple, with darker to black contrasting grain lines. The wood’s grain pattern is often swirly or
burl like. Some cocobolo is strait grained, but often comes from large trees.

The cocobolo tree in Mexico tends to grow along ridges of the Sierra Madres up to 3 miles apart. To log cocobolo with modern equipment the forest would be
devastated by roads, spilled fuel, and senseless cutting of trees just to get to a mature cocobolo. The local and indigenous people of Mexico work very
hard with donkey chain saws and old fashioned man power to extract these gems. Cocobolo is very durable. Many trees lie dead in the forest, the sapwood
will rot off the tree leaving the precious heartwood. Any standing or downed dead tree will be logged and fully utilized. The loggers are quite conscious
of their environment and do what they can to protect it for future use.

Woodworkers pride themselves on using only the finest woods. This is why, when it comes to turning, woodworkers appreciate cocobolo not only for is
beautiful color, but for the polish you can bring a piece to with no finishing. and the relative ease of cutting Wood turners use cocobolo turning
squares, pen blanks, and bowl blanks to create high end products. Some products that are made of cocobolo include:

Pens
Flooring
Pistol grips
High end billiard cues
Bowls
Guitars
Knife handles
Fine furniture
Woodwind instruments
Sculptures
If you’re looking to buy cocobolo, be sure to talk to an expert who actually knows what they’re talking about. When looking for cocobolo for sale, be sure
to inquire about the origin of the inventory, how it was harvested and whether or not they personally oversaw the milling process. When you find someone
who knows this unique and lovely exotic hardwood backwards and forwards, you can rest assured that your shipment of cocobolo lumber will have the best
quality and will be perfect for your wood turning needs.