In addition, Afzelia spp. has a pronounced dulling effect on cutting surfaces, so frequent sharpening, or the use of disposable carbide cutter heads is essential to finding success when working with Afzelia spp.
To add to the potential joys of working with Afzelia spp., the results when gluing are best described as “variable.”
When it comes to finishing an Afzelia spp. piece, bear in mind that those heartwood deposits addressed above can be water soluble which can create significant problems when using water-based finishing products due to discoloration and contamination that adversely affects the curing processes.
All things considered one has to wonder why a wood worker would bother trying to overcome these challenges and the simple answer is because the figure can be amazing enough to make it all worthwhile.
Afzelia Figured
Afzelia Xylay
Afzelia Xylay
Pricing and Availability
The cost of Afzelia spp. will all depend on what type of wood you want or need for your project. Prices for clear lumber tend to be moderate, but if you desire highly figured pieces then prices will rise up into the highest reaches of all prices paid for imported exotic tropical hardwoods.
In this blog, I almost always recommend several vendors with whom I have done considerable business and in whom I have great confidence. These vendors are: West Penn Hardwoods, Bell Forest Products, NC Wood, Got Wood?, and WoodTurningz.
However, none of these fine dealers stock any Afzelia spp., figured or otherwise, at this time, although both West Penn Hardwoods and Bell Forest Products have sold this material in the past and may, therefore, sell it once again when it becomes available at a price that makes it reasonable to offer. This limited availability is not unusual because unfigured Afzelia spp. is not highly desired and figured wood sells for over $600 per board foot because it is both rare and highly desirable.
However, I do know of one vendor, with whom I have had some quite satisfactory dealings, that does offer Afzelia spp. in both figured and burl forms, provided that you can work with strictly spindle pieces ranging in size from pen blank size up to almost 20” in length. This vendor is Griffin Exotic Woods located in the high desert region of Colorado. Be aware that not everything posted on their website is actually available for purchase; the only way to know is to attempt to put a specific piece in your cart. If you succeed, then the piece is still available, but if you receive an error message that you are ordered too many pieces despite only requesting one, well, then you have found a piece that doesn’t really exist. I am pretty certain that Griffin is a small family business and that updating the website is not a high priority, or at least not one that they routinely have time for, but they will warn you of this themselves when you shop their site. And, if there is something you really want or need, it never hurts to call and ask about what they might have lurking about that isn’t shown on the website itself. These folks deliver excellent pieces of woods that can be otherwise very difficult or impossible to find.
Now, I will confess that I have been somewhat misleading in that, technically, West Penn Hardwoods does have some Afzelia spp. pen blanks for sale, but these are listed only under the “Closeouts” section as “B Grade” blanks due to low figure, defects, or odd sizes. I have shopped from this section of the West Penn Hardwoods website before, but it will be much more realistic to simply call them, and I have been happy with the material I have received, although I cannot speak directly to the Afzelia spp. stock. The best case scenario in these situations is to be able to dig through the bin yourself to find the ideal pieces for your purpose, and if you happen to be near Conover, North Carolina then it might be worth it. Otherwise I would proceed with caution, although the price is right at only $3.00 each. But, as is true with Griffin Exotic Woods, the “Closeouts” section of the West Penn Hardwoods website is not always the most up to date so be prepared to be disappointed when you discover that these lower grade blanks were sold out months ago. But again, it is only requires a phone call to find out.