In article , "vrhorton" wrote:
Most sources consider Lignum Vitae (Guaicum officinale), with a specific
gravity of 1.37) to be the hardest. Desert Ironwood (Olney test) comes in
sixth at 1.15 Specific gravity is the relative density of the wood to that
of pure water . . . both of these woods will sink if put in water.

Interesting, but irrelevant, as hardness and density are independent of each
other. (Good example from the world of metallurgy: aluminum is harder than
lead.)

What's hardest depends also on exactly what property you're measuring. I
happen to have my Wood Handbook right here... a few selected values:

Compression parallel to grain (lb-ft per sq in, at 12% MC):
Kaneelhart 17,400
Macawood 16,100
Marishballi 13,390
Ipe 13,010
Azobe 12,600
Greenheart 12,510
Sucupira 12,140
Mora 11,840
Bulletwood 11,640
Benge 11,400
Lignum Vitae 11,400
Manbarklak 11,210

Side hardness (lb-ft, at 12% MC):
Lignum Vitae 4,500
Ipe 3,680
Marishballi 3,570
Manbarklak 3,480
Azobe 3,350
Bulletwood 3,190
Macawood 3,150
Kaneelhart 2,900

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

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