Thread: South African Violetwood?

Hey All,
I love my TI, but am not thrilled with the plastic scales. I found these South African violetwood (wtf?) scales from Invisible Edge that looked cool, but have no idea what the wood is like. I've done some research, but am wondering if all you experienced folk would have any ideas. Thanks for the time!

Looks like Dovo Bocote scales. Probably not long enough to fit your TI. I think TI makes some wood replacement scales.

Have fun

Here are some

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Some more

TI strops & accessories

Here

Straight Razor Maintenance & Repair Needs

I appreciate the suggestions, but I'm still interested in the wood. Anyone ever hear of it before?

Originally Posted by Kyriaco

I appreciate the suggestions, but I'm still interested in the wood. Anyone ever hear of it before?

Not in any wood Books I have.And I have alot.

I know it says "South African Violetwood," but every search I ran for that name came up with African violets, which are flowers and not wood. However, there are two woods in particular I came across in my search you might be interested in.

The first is Dalbergia Cearensis, which is also known as Kingwood and Violet Wood. It comes from Brazil in South America. The second is Peltogyne, also known as Purpleheart, Amaranth, and Violetwood. It comes from Central and South America. Kingwood seems to be a purplish brown, while Purpleheart is a striking purple color which dulls to brown with exposure to air. Both are expensive and used for small projects these days.

I think it is possible that the site on which you found those scales either has a typo, posted the wrong pic, or is using an uncommon nickname for the wood based on an African Violet reference. For instance, someone, a guitarist I think, and if I am remembering the joke correctly, once remarked to an interviewer that he liked for his guitar fingerboards to be made of Mia Farrow because they sounded very "woody." He meant Pau Ferro, Brazilian Ironwood.

I think Purpleheart scales would be beautiful and very different, especially if coated to preserve the color, though feminine.

You can see pictures of these two woods among the ones on this page: Pieces of Wood - Wood Examples

The photo you copied here does not match either wood, though. Purpleheart looks nothing like them, but they might be a very brown specimen of Kingwood, though I doubt it. Looks more like Bocote to me. The dark part of the grain stands out more than Kingwood would.

All rosewoods are Dalbergias,I suppose you could have a veriant that is violet in color but all of my refs show no Violet wood.
pau ferro is Vera wood.Looks like and passed off as Real Lignum Vitae.is almost the same but is debated as to if both are even related.
Purple heart if treated properly will maintain it's color for a very long time.

Did a set of scales with it. Works nice. CA Finish and I think it looks pretty good.
Not the most even scales, but I am pretty new and have limited tools to work with. (FOR NOW)

They're gorgeous. Nice work!