Wood species for chess pieces

Hello, Chess.com community,

I did touch moderately lightly on this subject in another of my thread, which is incorporating new novel woods into my chess company.

While my vendor will also be selling chess pieces in the original Boxwood, East Indian Rosewood, Padauk and Ebony, I wanted to also include other exotic woods that maybe of beauty; and that may have already been used for chess pieces in the past.

My woodworking business partner purchases huge container bulks of woods (in logs) for usage, but, being new woods that he hasn't had to work with before, he's hesitant to go forward with such bulk purchase and needs to see that there is a demand for these in the chess market. I told him that it would be very hard for me to prove this, since most people are unfamiliar with these woods as chess pieces. (Most people know of Boxwood, Ebony, Padauk and (East Indian) Rosewood only) But, since one container of wood isn't cheap(!!!!), he makes a lot of sense.

So, I will attempt to prove to him that these woods as chess pieces might be something that customers will desire, starting with my surveying on this website.

Please tell me how you would like the following woods as chess pieces:

a. Katalox (scientific: Swartzia cubensis)

b. Yellowheart (sci.: Euxylophora paraensis)

c. Bloodwood (Brosimum paraense, Brosimum rubescens)

d. Pearwood (Pyrus communis)

e. Verawood (Bulnesia arborea, Bulnesia sarmientoi; NOT Guaiacum officinale/santum)

f. Orange Agate (Platymiscium spp., especially yucatanum and stipulare)

 - Katalox

- Yellowheart 

 - Bloodwood 

 - Steamed pearwood 

 - Verawood 

 - Orange Agate 

I personally would love to use beautiful woods as these. However, I don't know how my future potential customers would feel about this.

This is where your contribution can greatly be of benefit.

Thanks,

BCgn18

I admire what you are trying to do , fill a void in the use of other woods.  You have to import most of these woods to the India manufacturers and they have to export it back.  I would be checking to see what hoops you have to jump through and extra taxes you have ti pay and all the legalities of doing this. There is a reason no one else has imported these woods to India to get carved,  No one has even exported walnut and maple for the Dubrovnik set to India which tells me something right there.  My bad if you already have checked into the obstacles and have them conquered. 

I do admire what you are trying to do.   I admire all entrepreneurs as that is what makes the economy go around.  

Awesome thread!

I pick Yellow Heart and Blood Wood

Yeah, another vote for Yellowheart for the White pieces. Not sure any of the other woods appeal to me for Black.

I like Cocobolo for the dark pieces.

Hey wiscMike. It's nice hearing from you again.

Haha Did you start this post just so that you can say that my company's in India? =P (You don't know if it is, now do you?)

Silliness aside, I'd like to kindly remind us all: Padauk is not a species native to India, which is the country that craft most our American chess sets, especially the luxury sets we see on thechesstore and HOS. But, "Blood Rosewood" is in good demand. I hope to find out whether or not these 6 listed woods will be as well; the fact Verawood and Bloodwood have so far not been imported into India for chess production doesn't mean that it won't happen. My woodworker has received sample blanks from me on all of these listen species, and he especially has a high fondness for Verawood. So, I'm taking this as a positive sign for at least one of these six. 

The first Verawood species, Bulnesia Sarmientoi, is on the CITES Appendix II list, which means there's a moderately strict limitation on international importation. As far as Verawood is concerned, this is the only "hoop" I must jump over. On the other hand, the second species, Bulnesia Arborea, however, is not restricted. So, that maybe the route I want to go. Bloodwood, Pearwood, Yellowheart, Katalox aren't restricted. I don't know about all the Orange Agate species. (There are probably more than a dozen really closely related ones that make up the "Orange Agate" trademark.)

Thank you for your support.

Along with all these woods, I've also sent my biz partner a few samples of Cocobolo. One thing we noticed is how much the dark Red coloration resembles Red Sandalwood. 

If I ever go forward with selling this wood in my company, I would probably sell it under the tradename "Genuine Blood Rosewood": It's a true rosewood, and it's blood in color;at least the red sections of it are. haha

On some species, I'm amidst it. On others (especially Verawood), already done.

I've noticed that a lot of repliers already assigned these woods to either the White or Dark army.

As a word of note: Verawood, Cocobolo and Bloodwood do not have to be the Black Army, since they aren't the darkest woods that I'm selling. I'm planning on selling armies individually, so that customers have the option to decide what two (or three; or more) armies look good together. For all you care, you can have Verawood as the white army, and East Indian Rosewood or Genuine Ebony or Ebonized Boxwood as the Black; or, if you want to make things interesting, you can purchase Verawood and Bloodwood as two armies and use both interchangeably as the white and black army. 

Just a thought. =)

BattlechessGN18, I cannot vouch for the veracity of this article, but in it, the writer says that bloodwood looks strikingly red initially, but then turns to brown within a few years. Also says it's hard to work with. I'm not a woodworker, so I don't know how accurate these claims are. Here is the link: http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/top-ten-overrated-woods/

I've actually learned of all 6 woods that I've mentioned from Eric Meier's wood-database website. (http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/preventing-color-changes-in-exotic-woods/) And, all of these woods have issues in color-fasting: they will all darke after so many years; Padauk, as a popular House of Staunton chess wood, is no exception and, in fact, champions the horror of color-fading better than the average.

I was told, however, that Bloodwood fading is much better than Padauk : Bloodwood will become a rich black wood with a mahogany-Red colored tint; so if you use the right sections of the wood. As I'm so far impressed, throughout all its color-fasting stages, it will still remain a beauty.

(Eric Meier's right when he said the wood would fade into a dark brown. BUT, the brown still retains a nice tint of its original crimson red, see?^^^)

Hello again,

I am the guy who was bitching in the other thread about all the marketing BS surrounding exotic woods in the chess business.  I would be overly joyed to support a company that actually calls a wood what it is, instead of nonsensical trade names like "Bud Rosewood" which can mean any of a dozen possible woods!

I really, REALLY like the Pearwood and Verawood offerings you are considering... either of which would look truly excellent if paired with Bloodwood or Katalox.

Count me in as a probable customer, should you ever proceed with your venture!

What are the differences between Bud Rosewood, Blood Rosewood, Red Sandalwood and Paudak woods? Are they all the same?

cghori,

From my research, "Blood Rosewood" and "Bud Rosewood" are basically trade names, and have no real correspondence with specific wood species.  I know that at least one chess set from House of Staunton (the "Zagreb '59 , 2.875 King) that is called "Blood Rosewood" is actually Padouk... they forgot to remove the Indian maker's label from the box before shipping it!  I have several "Bud Rosewood" sets, and some of them look like entirely different woods, I believe that they actually are different.  As for "Rosewood", I have 3 rosewood sets, and one of my Sheesham sets looks more "red" than 2 of the "Rosewood" sets.  I don't believe, at this point, that you can buy ANY version of a "Rosewood" set, and expect to get any specific species.  If you want to get a set that you KNOW is made from a specific species of wood, the only options seem to be Boxwood/Dyed Boxwood or Boxwood/Sheesham (Sheesham, ironically, is actually an authentic "Rosewood" species!).  As for "Red Sandalwood", I have one older (about 10 years old) set that is supposedly Red Sandalwood, and it looks almost identical to my other "Rosewood" sets, so who knows.

The "Luxury Chess Pieces" market is so full of marketing BS that it stinks.  I, for one, am tired of the stench, and would welcome and support a company that was truthful about what woods are used!

Thank you Bawker. Look for me biz hopefully in the near future. :)

Cghori, Red Sandalwood and African Padauk are cousin species in the Padauk genus, Pterocarpus. One is internationally banned, the other is widely used still. "Blood Rosewood" is a silli-ish tradmark overlaid on both species. Bud Rosewood could be either the root/trunk wood of real red rosewood or of one of the many padauk species. Hope that clarifies.

this isnt a advertisment site, ok?

Hey reddyj, You can take your critical post and Fvk right off, mate!

The OP's post is interesting, topical, and LIGHT YEARS ahead of all the troll BS we have to wade through on this site to find anything meaningful!

Ban me if you want, mods... but posts like reddyj just made are completely uncalled for, and smack of Nazi-like tattletale rule worship with no understanding or respect at ALL for meaningful forum content!

1.) I really don't like the bright yellowheart, but maybe that's just my personal taste.

2.) You don't want wood with a large variance from one spot to another (grain is fine if "fine", but color bands shouldn't be almost as wide as half of the piece - that might lead to visual confusion about which army it belongs to or which piece it is) That's my negative reaction to the orange agate and verawood, but they could be OK if kept "consistant".

3.) At first I thought of "Brazilian purple heart" but you have that covered already becausse it looks alot like your first, the Katalox. That one would pair very well with a tan like the pearwood - that's what I would want!

I agree with fish-bag... the "striped" look really doesn't do it for me.  Monochromatic pieces, please!

Haha, calm down, Bawker. It was about time I got another troll myself deliberately falsly accusing me of "spam advertising". Member LouBalch had his share of it, and I know I would, too. 

 That aside, thanks again for all your endless support. 

1) It is a personal taste, and it's totally cool. Most yellowheart pieces has a very distinct acquired taste due to the vivacious coloration, which not everyone will like. You don't like the (excess?) brightness of yellowheart. I don't like the cliched, bland and unenthusiastic what's-supposed-to-be yellow of common boxwood; which is why I was trying to substitute it with Yellowheart, European Hornbeam and/or Pearwood; either of which does the job better.

2) Verawood has a very thick grain pattern, indeed. However, the grain pattern is very consistently close throughout, which makes it viable as a chess piece. I would otherwise agree with you.

As for Macacauba (Orange Agate): May I suggest it set against Ebony or a a white wood like European Hornbeam (which will be the main substitute for Boxwood)? That way, we can tell zebra-striped orange set against grainless black or crazy-grained cream-white. ^-^ In truth, though, Macacauba wasn't high on my priority list; it was just a beautiful wood I casually came across thought worth considering. If anything, I might just weed it out due to the very reason you bring up. Verawood is the real stuff that I am very much focused to get to my customers!

3) You have a very appealing taste. I thought of Katalox to be set against Bloodwood, Verawood or Sisso/Sheesham. On the other hand, Steamed Swiss Pearwood (one of my Boxwood substitutes) also works very well.

Keep in mind, I plan on possibly selling these pieces as single armies. That way, customers have the power of customization to choose two, three or more armies to work for their appeal. 

Also keep in Mind: Ebony is so endangered and expensive, people are making Katalox a viable substitute: it's a dark-brown or black wood with strong purple hue for a luscious accent. I'm strongly urging my biz partner to go for this wood.

Still, he needs to know that the wood is in demand. Unfortunately, people are still in heavier demand for Ebony; exploiting the thing to its happy extinction. 

GoodKnightMike, are you sure those are Cocobolo pieces? Because I don't think House of Staunton ever sold wood in Cocobolo. It might just be East Indian Rosewood tinted red in Photoshop to resemble Coco in picture. (Unless that army didn't come from HOS?)