Palm-1

Based on the distinct features in your photos and videos, this looks like Palmwood (specifically Red Palm or Coconut Palm).

While technically a monocot—closer to grass or bamboo than a traditional hardwood tree—it is frequently used in woodworking. Here is why it matches your sample:

The End Grain: This is the biggest giveaway. In your close-ups, you can see thousands of tiny, dense circular dots. These are fibrovascular bundles. Traditional wood has growth rings; palmwood has these consistent, needle-like fibers packed together.

The Face Grain: When sliced lengthwise, those dots turn into long, dark streaks against a lighter background. This creates the "quilted" or "stringy" look visible in your photos.

Woodworking Characteristics: It is notoriously dense and heavy, but the lighter areas between the fibers are quite soft. Be very careful handling it; palmwood is prone to "tear-out" and can produce incredibly sharp, needle-like splinters.

As you saw when you wiped it down in the video, it takes a finish beautifully, which makes those dark fibers stand out. It’s a great material for tool handles, inlay work, or small decorative items.

Distinguishing between Red Palm (Cocos nucifera) and Coconut Palm can be a bit of a trick question because, in the lumber industry, they are often the exact same species.

However, when woodworkers refer to "Red Palm" vs. "Coconut Palm" as separate things, they are usually talking about the density and coloration of the specific cut rather than a different tree species.

Here is how you can tell which "grade" or "type" you have:

1. The Color Tone

• Red Palm: This name is usually given to the densest cuts from the outer part of the trunk. It features a high contrast between very light tan "background" wood (the pith) and deep reddish-brown or "brick-colored" fibers.

• Coconut Palm: When labeled as such, it often looks more "muted." The fibers might be a lighter golden brown or medium brown, and the contrast with the surrounding pith is less jarring.

2. The Fiber Density (The "Polka Dot" Test)

• Red Palm: Look at the end grain (the "dots"). If they are packed extremely tightly together with almost no space between them, it’s a high-density cut typically sold as Red Palm. It will feel heavy, almost like a piece of stone or plastic.

• Coconut Palm: If the dots are spaced further apart and the wood feels significantly lighter or "spongier" in the middle, it’s a lower-density cut often just labeled as standard Coconut lumber.

3. Surface Texture

• Red Palm: Because it is denser, it can be sanded to a very high, natural luster. The dark fibers are extremely hard (literally like "needles") and won't compress.

• Coconut Palm: The lighter-colored sections are very soft. If you press your fingernail into the tan area and it leaves a deep dent easily, you have a lower-density Coconut Palm cut. Red Palm is usually too hard for a fingernail to dent.

Why the confusion?

"Red Palm" is frequently used as a trade name for Cocos nucifera (Coconut Palm) specifically when it has that rich, reddish hue. There is another palm called Sugar Palm (Black Palm), which is very similar but has black fibers instead of red/brown ones.

Verdict on your piece: Based on your video where the fibers look very dark and the wood seems to have a substantial "clink" and weight to it, you likely have a high-density Red Palm cut.

Are you planning on using a power saw or hand tools for this? (Be warned: it eats steel blades for breakfast!)

 This Wood Is red Palm!

Based on your measurements and the current market as of April 2026, here is an estimated market value for your piece.

The Measurements

From your photos, your board is roughly:

• Length: 16 inches

• Width: 8 inches

• Thickness: 1/2 inch

• Volume: ~0.44 Board Feet (BF)

Current Market Rates

Palmwood is typically sold as an "exotic" and is priced by the board foot or as individual craft blanks.

• Kiln-Dried Red Palm Planks: Usually retail between $15 and $25 per board foot, depending on the density and figure.

• Premium/High-Contrast Cuts: Pieces with very dark fibers and high density (like yours) often lean toward the higher end of that range.

Estimated Retail Value

If you were to buy a piece of this size today at a specialty lumber yard:

$15.00 – $22.00 USD

Factors Affecting Price

• Thickness: 1/2-inch boards are popular for "project ready" stock (like box making or scroll saw work). You can often get a small premium for "thin stock" because the buyer doesn't have to plane it down themselves.

• Density: If that board feels unusually heavy (almost like stone), it is a high-density "outer" cut, which is the most desirable and valuable part of the palm tree.

• Condition: Your piece has some "live edge" (natural curve) and looks like a cutoff from a larger project. To a hobbyist, the character is a plus; to a commercial shop, the irregular shape might decrease the value slightly.

Pro-tip: If you're selling it, don't just call it "wood." Label it as "High-Density Red Palm Thin Stock"—that's the terminology that gets the attention of woodturners and knife makers who will pay the premium for those dark, "quill-like" fibers.

The fact that this wood has been air-drying for 30 years is a massive selling point. In the world of exotic lumber, "old stock" is highly coveted because it is incredibly stable—meaning it’s much less likely to warp, crack, or shrink than wood bought from a store today.

To maximize your profit, you should stop thinking of this as a "board" and start thinking of it as "precision blanks" for high-end hobbyists.

1. The Strategy: Breakdown into Blanks

A single board is hard to ship and has a limited audience. If you cut this board into smaller pieces, you increase the "price per inch" and attract specialized makers who pay premium prices.

• Knife Scales: This is your best bet. Cut the board into pairs that are roughly 5 inches long, 1.5 inches wide, and 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick. A single high-quality pair of 30-year-old Red Palm scales can sell for $20.00 to $30.00. You could get about 6 to 8 pairs out of this board.

• Pen Blanks: Use the leftovers. Cut them into 3/4 inch squares that are 5 inches long. These sell for $5.00 to $8.00 each to pen turners.

• Pistol Grips: If you have sections with particularly dense "dots" on the end grain, market them to custom 1911 grip makers. A set of grip blanks can easily fetch $35.00+.

2. Marketing the "30-Year" Advantage

When you list this wood for sale, the age is your "hook." Use these specific terms to justify a higher price:

• "Dead Stable": Explain that because it has air-dried for three decades, all the internal stresses are gone. It won't move or crack when a maker starts carving it.

• "Deep Color": Older palmwood often develops a richer, deeper patina than fresh-cut kiln-dried wood. Highlight this in your photos.

• "Old Growth Stock": 30 years ago, the quality of imported palm was often higher than what is being mass-harvested today.

3. Estimated Profit Breakdown

• Selling as one raw board: $25.00 - $35.00 (The age adds a premium, but the buyer takes the risk of cutting it).

• Selling as processed Knife Scales: $120.00 - $180.00 (6-8 sets at $20 - $25 each).

• Selling as Pen Blanks: $100.00+ (If you cut the whole thing into roughly 20-25 blanks).

4. Professional Tips for Selling

• The "Money Shot": Makers buy with their eyes. Sand one small area to 400 grit and wipe it with a tiny bit of mineral oil or denatured alcohol to show the "pop" of the grain in your photos.

• Clean the Edges: Use a sander to knock off the sharp "needles" on the edges. Red Palm splinters are painful, and a "clean" looking blank sells for much more than a rough-cut one.

• Where to sell: Use eBay, Etsy, or Instagram with hashtags like #KnifeMaking, #WoodTurning, and #ExoticWood. Facebook groups dedicated to "Knife Scale Classifieds" are also great because there are no listing fees.

By spending an hour cutting and sanding this board into sets, you are essentially quintupling your money.