Knife Scale Wood Species Guide
Properties, hardness, origin, and stabilization notes for every species we carry. Click any species to learn more or find it in the shop.
All Species (39)
Barba Jolote
1,000 lbf · Medium
Mexico
Black Limba
670 lbf · Soft
West Africa
Bloodwood
2,900 lbf · Extremely Hard
South America
Bocote
2,200 lbf · Very Hard
Mexico
Bolivian Rosewood
3,000 lbf · Extremely Hard
Bolivia
Box Elder
720 lbf · Soft
North America
Bubinga
2,410 lbf · Very Hard
Central Africa
Canarywood
1,520 lbf · Hard
South America
Cocobolo
1,136 lbf · Medium
Central America
Curly Koa
1,790 lbf · Hard
Hawaii
Desert Ironwood
3,260 lbf · Extremely Hard
Sonoran Desert, USA
Jatoba
2,350 lbf · Very Hard
Central & South America
Jobillo
1,700 lbf · Hard
Mexico
Lacewood
840 lbf · Soft
Australia
Leopardwood
2,160 lbf · Very Hard
South America
Lignum Vitae
4,500 lbf · Extremely Hard
Caribbean
Lyptus
1,100 lbf · Medium
Brazil (plantation)
Mahogany African
1,070 lbf · Medium
West Africa
Mahogany Honduran
800 lbf · Soft
Central America
Maple
1,450 lbf · Hard
North America
Mesquite
2,345 lbf · Very Hard
Southwestern USA
Monkeypod
900 lbf · Medium
Central America
Nargusta
1,350 lbf · Hard
Central & South America
Olive Wood
2,700 lbf · Extremely Hard
Mediterranean
Osage Orange
2,040 lbf · Very Hard
Central USA
Padauk
1,725 lbf · Hard
West Africa
Patagonian Rosewood
3,400 lbf · Extremely Hard
South America
Peruvian Walnut
1,120 lbf · Medium
South America
Purpleheart
1,860 lbf · Very Hard
Central & South America
Salmwood
1,000 lbf · Medium
Central America
Sapele
1,410 lbf · Hard
Central & West Africa
Spanish Cedar
600 lbf · Soft
Central & South America
Teak
1,070 lbf · Medium
Southeast Asia
Tigerwood
1,850 lbf · Very Hard
South America
Walnut
1,010 lbf · Medium
North America
Wenge
1,630 lbf · Hard
Central Africa
Yellowheart
1,790 lbf · Hard
Brazil
Zebrawood
1,575 lbf · Hard
West Africa
Ziricote
1,970 lbf · Very Hard
Mexico
How to Choose
If you're unsure where to start: walnut and maple are the classics — widely available, forgiving to work, and beautiful finished. For something with more color, purpleheart, padauk, and zebrawood are popular choices that are hard enough to skip stabilization.
For the showstopper build: look for burl or quilted maple — these go fast but produce handles unlike anything else. Dyed stabilized maple is also available in colors that have to be seen to be believed.