What Is Curly Koa Wood

Only 10 of all koa is curly today koa is so highly regarded for its beauty that land owners find it a profitable revenue source even more so than cattle.

What is curly koa wood.

The different colors of koa wood are influenced by the tree s age the type of soil and level of ele. The trees that are figured tend to be rare mutations as i have found woodlots with trees from the same seed stock soil water supply and sun exposure where one tree is curly and all of the rest are plain. Uses of koa wood. Koa has a lovely natural color and is generally reddish to dark brown.

Curly figure can be present in many species among them koa all maples walnut ash oaks and even ebony. Koa is a hardwood and has high crush resistance and shock absorbance. The problem with koa is that it only grows on one set of islands in the world only well on one island and only at its best at higher. Koa wood is famous in hawaii for many reasons one being its decorative array of colors and grain texture.

This wood species is not listed in the cites appendices and is reported by the iucn as being a species of least concern. The grain is interlocked which often causes curly figuring. The grain of this tree is interlocked which causes the wood s natural curly figure. It also comes with a golden luster and darker streaks.

Olo the longest surfboards were made from the lighter and more buoyant wiliwili erythrina sandwicensis. Old growth trees contain the most figured lumber. The koa s trunk was used by ancient hawaiians to build waʻa dugout outrigger canoes and papa heʻe nalu only paipo kikoʻo and alaia surfboards were made from koa however. I know of no other wood possessing the chatoyancy or range of colors of koa.

Koa lumber with a premium curl can strain your wallet for 60 to 120 bf depending on the intensity of the figure and the reputation of the exotic wood dealer who is selling it. With the tree endemic to hawaii only and with supplies dwindling koa is likely to be rather expensive. The spirit of the volcano lives in this tree and radiates from the lumber. Curly koa is also unmatched in price with highly figured material for guitar sets priced as high as 150 bf.

Thus the supply of koa wood depends significantly on storm frequency. Koa is a hard wood and has high crush resistance and shock absorbance. Curly fire and tiger koa are the rarest each displaying unique characteristics resembling their given names. Old growth trees contain the most figured lumber.

It is often compared to walnut however it weighs about 25 more and its interlocking grain. The grain is interlocked which often causes curly figuring. Also boards of highly figured and or curly koa can command fantastic prices. The reddish wood is very similar in strength and weight to that of black walnut juglans nigra with a.

Koa may be the most spectacular hardwood in the world. The most beautiful koa wood as a wavy fluttering cross grain pattern called curly which is sometimes referred to as fiddle back. Koa wood is known for the deep rich colors and varied grain patterns.