Honduras Rosewood

Honduras Rosewood is a highly prized hardwood known for its rich dark brown to deep purplish-brown heartwood with striking darker streaks and fine, interlocked grain, offering both elegance and long-lasting durability. Native to Central America, especially Honduras and surrounding regions, it is celebrated for its strength, stability, and beautiful natural luster, making it ideal for high-end artisan woodworking and decorative projects.

Its straight to interlocked grain allows Honduras Rosewood to machine, turn, and sand cleanly, producing a polished surface that showcases its deep, luxurious color. Perfect for pen blanks, knife handles, turned objects, inlays, musical instruments, and small furniture accents, Honduras Rosewood combines aesthetic beauty with exceptional functional strength.

Botanical Information

Scientific Name: Dalbergia stevensonii

Family: Fabaceae

Origin: Central America (Honduras, Belize, Guatemala)

Common & Trade Names

Honduras Rosewood, Central American Rosewood, Dalbergia, Cocobolo (sometimes confused with)

Key Characteristics

Heartwood: dark brown to deep purplish-brown with darker streaks

Sapwood: pale, narrow, clearly defined

Interlocked, fine-grained texture

Dense, hard, and durable

Smooth natural luster

Resistant to wear and decay

Workability

Dense and hard; requires sharp tools

Machines, sands, and turns well

Accepts stains, oils, and finishes beautifully

Glues and polishes reliably

Ideal for precision and decorative projects

Health & Safety Note

Honduras Rosewood dust may cause skin, eye, or respiratory irritation. Use proper dust extraction, respirator, and eye protection when machining or sanding this hardwood.

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