Cuban mahogany

[ed lundquist]

Found a source for some fine looking mahogany, how many rifles, pistols were stocked with this back in the day? My searches don't turn much up.  I am going to try some out on a pistol and perhaps a rifle. I have worked mahogany in furniture before and found a range of qualities from soft to hard, splintery to easy to carve. The wood I am seeing is beautifully figured and I am going to buy in person. Any thoughts? Thanks, Ed. Maybe I'll grab some extra.

[Lucky R A]

      The most notable Mahogany stocked gun is one by Isaac Haines, there may have been others. 

[smart dog]

Hi Ed,
Where are you finding Cuban mahogany?  It was logged almost to extinction by the 20th century.  It is a fine wood and a dense blank could be used as a stock (as Lucky R A mentioned) but it was very rare. 

dave

[ed lundquist]

I am a bit suspicious but will have an opportunity to inspect. The photos are exceptional.

[Goo]

I don't know how many times I've said this but South Florida is loaded with mahogany sweetenia or Cuban mahogany.   It gets cut by permit or salvaged after knocked down by hurricanes.    I've quite a large stack of it.    It's nicest stuff you can work with I built my first New England  fowler out of it.   Make sure it's dense smooth grained and get the center cut and don't listen to anyone  who says it's no good for guns.   I think if it grew in Pennsylvania guns would have been stocked in Cuban mahogany. Only example I know of an original is the smooth rifle by Issac Haines.

[smart dog]

Hi Ed,
If real Cuban mahogany, it definitely may be worth trying to stock up a gun.  It is beautiful hard wood and all other mahoganies are poor cousins.

dave