wood name
BOTANICAL NAME: Guibourtia ehie of the family Fabaceae (syn Leguminosae) the legume, pea, or bean family

COMMON NAMES: I have read that the name Shedua was coined by Paul Penberthy Sr. nearly 50 years ago when he first brought this species to the United States; why he felt the need to do that, I have no idea, BUT ... a correspondant (Carl Stammerjohn) tells me that he learned from Mr. Penberthy's son that the wood was named using as close an English/phonetic approximation as possible of the name of the area in Africa where it was harvested. Other common names include: amazakoue (ivory coast), amazaque, amazoue, anazahoue, and bar-tique, anokye, anokye (ghana), bubinga (although that name is really used almost exclusively for Guibourtia demeusei), ehie, gabon ovanko, hyedua, hyedua-nini, hyeduanini, kolima, mongoy, mongoy walnut, mozambique, mutenye, ovangkol, ovengkol, ovenkol, palissandro, pallisandro. It is sold in the USA primarily under the names shedua, mozambique, and ovengkol, and occasionally you might find it as amazakoue.

TYPE: hardwood.

COLOR: The heartwood has a wide range of colors from yellow-brown to dark brown or may be greenish brown / greenish gray, and often has stripes of a contrasting darker color, usually dark gray, near-black. Sometimes has an orange cast. The sapwood is yellow white, about 4 in. wide, clearly demarcated.

GRAIN / TEXTURE / FILLER / FINISH / LUSTER: Usually a really beautiful wood with a very attractive grain, a nice shimmer due to interlocked grain, and an interesting look because of heavy dark striping. Sometimes mottled. Texture is fine to medium (I have seen reports of moderately coarse but that has never been my experience). Paints, varnishes, stains and finishes very well, but anyone who paints or stains this wood should be shot. Polishes very well and can be brought to a medium to high luster. Some reports say it may stain in contact with ferous metal. Sometimes has whitish deposits in vessels.

PROPERTIES / WORKABILITY: A heavy, tough, strong, wood that is reasonably easy to work with both hand and machine tools (will saw a little slowly w/ hand saws). Stiffness, strength, and shock resistance are all reported as medium to high. Can be worked to a very smooth surface with only moderate blunting effect on cutting edges --- does sometimes have a light silica content and the interlocked grain can also cause minor difficulty. Glues, screws, and nails well with good holding power. Some reports recommend preboring. Does not carve easily, sands well and turns well (but keep your gouges sharp). For planing, a reduced cutting angle of 20 degrees and sharp cutting edges are recommended but the surface should come out clean. Moderate in characteristics for boring, mortising, and moulding.

Most reports say it is suitable for veneering but that it must be heated before slicing into veneers.

DURABILITY: highly resistant to the termites plaguing West Africa and is otherwise moderately durable. The sapwood is reported to absorb preservatives readily, but the heartwood is difficult to treat.

STABILITY: moderate movement in service, similar to red oak

BENDING: not recommended for steam bending

ODOR / TASTE: Freshly milled wood is reported to have a strong unpleasant odor which disappears after the wood is dried. There is no distinct taste.

SOURCES: found most often in rain forest and traditional forest areas in tropical west Africa, particularly the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Southern Nigeria and Gabon. Also found in Cameroon, Liberia, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon.

USES: Used originally in the United States by the boating industry for cabin interiors, it is now being used in cabinetmaking, furniture, flooring, turning and other decorative applications, particularly where strength, beauty, and durability are all assets. In veneer form, shedua is used for architectural panels, doors, inlays and other quality fittings.

Other uses include: cutlery, decorative veneer, domestic flooring, doors, fine furniture, fittings, flooring, handles, high-class joinery, interior decorative fittings, joinery, musical instruments, paneling, paneling and bookshelves, plywood, sculpture, shop and office trim, shop fitting, tables, tool handles, turned items, turnery, veneer, woodware,

TREE: Reaches a height of 100 to 150 ft; boles straight, cylindrical, up to 70 ft in length, with trunk diameters 2 to 3 ft over buttresses that are occasionally well-developed. Old trees usually have narrow, slightly raised horizontal rings on the stems.

WEIGHT: 44 to 54 lbs/cu. ft.

DRYING: generally seasons rapidly and well, and is accompanied by little degrade, but thicker stock is reported to kiln-dry with difficulty, and requires care to avoid collapse.

Radial 5%
Tangential 9%
Volumetric 12%

AVAILABILITY: moderately available, especially in veneer form

COST: moderate

TOXICITY: none reported

web quotes:
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We are surprised that more woodworkers haven’t used Shedua as much as other fine imported species. But we feel it’s probably because they aren’t familiar with this species. Of course, we are sure that once they get to know this species, they will certainly add Shedua to their list of first class quality hardwoods.

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Yields a gum copal used in pharmaceuticals and as a base for varnishes.

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Ovangkol is reported to be similar to Queensland walnut (Endiandra palmerstonii) in appearance, but is somewhat paler.