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Bloodwood

Brosimum rubescens
Also known as: Satine, Cardinal Wood, Muirapiranga
Exotic / ImportedMid-Range
Janka Hardness
2,900 lbf
12.9 kN
Density
1010 kg/m³
4.2 lbs/bf
Grain
Straight to slightly interlocked
Texture: Fine
Figure
Subtle; occasional ray fleck
Drying
Slow
Movement: Small
Origin
Tropical South America
Moraceae
Plain-Language Guide

Bloodwood delivers a deep, vivid red that's meaningfully more stable than padauk — it darkens with age but doesn't fade to brown the way padauk does. That makes it the better choice when you need a red accent that will hold up over years. It's dense and demands carbide, but the fine grain finishes to an excellent surface. Use it sparingly — the color is intense enough that a little goes a very long way in any design.

Common Mistakes
  • Confusing it with padauk — bloodwood holds red significantly longer
  • Using it for large surfaces — the intense color dominates; accents and small pieces work better
  • Using HSS tooling — it's dense enough to blunt them quickly
Color & Appearance
Heartwood
Sapwood

Deep, rich red heartwood — one of the most intense natural reds of any wood. More stable color than padauk; darkens somewhat with age but holds its red far better. Sapwood is pale yellow to white and clearly demarcated.

Workability
Hand Tools
Fair
Machine Tools
Moderate
Gluing
Moderate
Finishing
Easy
Turning
Suitable
Carving
Not typically used

Dense but fine-grained, so it cuts cleanly and finishes beautifully with sharp carbide. Better color stability than padauk — the red holds longer. Good for smaller decorative pieces and accents. The deep color means even small quantities make a strong visual statement.

Global Availability
RegionAvailability
North AmericaSpecialty importers only
EuropeSpecialty importers only
South AmericaRegional / select dealers
Australia/NZRare / not commonly imported
AsiaSpecialty importers only
AfricaRare / not commonly imported
Health & Safety
Allergen Risk
Moderate
CITES Status
None
Notes
Dust can cause respiratory and skin irritation. Use protection.
Common Uses
Accent pieces Inlay Turning Knife handles Small decorative boxes Musical instrument components
Sustainability: Not CITES listed. Sourced from managed forests in South America. Seek documented sourcing.