Notes on Wood

Albesia or Belalu [Albizia falcata]... ...white, soft wood -- sometimes brown at the center, often used for inexpensive, painted wood carvings.

Crocodile or Satin Wood [Zanthoxylum rhetsa]... ...white, relatively hard wood. Carvings usually have a very smooth finish -- making them look look a little like ivory.

Suar or Rain Tree [Samanea saman]... ...brown, hard wood -- favored wood of importers outside of the tropics because the crisscrossed, interlocking grain keeps the wood from cracking when moved to drier climates. It can be finished to a fairly high gloss.

Waru or Grey Hibiscus [Hibiscus tiliaceus]... ...white blended with light gray -- the dark heartwood often makes for distinctive two-tone carvings. As this wood ages, the gray turns greenish -- a very beautiful look. Grey hibiscus can be sanded to a very smooth finish.

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