fijian mahogany?
#4
Has anyone used fijian mahogany for furniture?
I noticed this in my local lumber store; believe it is plantation-grown and marketed for decking.

Matt
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#5
I've never used it, but this article claims it is God's gift to woodworkers:

https://www.bercoredwood.com/about-us/9-...n-mahogany

Fijian Mahogany is a non-endangered timber, grown in sustainable plantations on the tropical islands of Fiji. It has a straight grain and is usually free of voids and pockets.


The reddish-brown color, which darkens overtime, has a beautiful reddish sheen when polished.

Because of its excellent workability, Fijian Mahogany is ideal for most any custom wood project because it combines workability and stability with light weight, and can be carved to give fine details.


And here is a good article on various types of "mahogany" that is out there:  https://www.wood-database.com/wood-artic...e-lowdown/

It does not use the term "fifi mahogany" but it does reference Swietenia macrophylla, which it calls "Honduran Mahogany".


And this one references the political aspects:  https://www.woodshopnews.com/news/unrave...f-mahogany

Fiji mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla): There has been a turbulent and somewhat troubled history of harvesting mahogany in Fiji. Much of it seems to involve allegations of both government and corporate corruption, with landowners there claiming that questionable leases were used by the government to harvest not just lumber, but also the landowners’ profits. Last April, U.S. ambassador to Fiji Frankie Reid and representatives from the hardwoods industry attended the launch of Fiji Pure Mahogany, which is intended to ensure “sustainability, legality and the socially responsible use of this new hardwood brand.”

Fiji mahogany looks like a legitimate and sustainable alternative to more expensive native timber from both Africa and South America. There might still be some political issues attached to it that a woodshop might want to research, but for now some eminent U.S. corporations such as Gibson Guitar are already betting on this new brand.
No animals were injured or killed in the production of this post.
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#6
As Above.

It's "real" mahogany, just it's plantation grown in Fiji, so it's legal to trade it without breaking any CITES rules. Exporting mahogany from it's natural area is pretty much banned, but as it's an introduced species in Fiji / Indonesia/ India etc it can be freely harvested and traded. 

The "Fiji" just refers to the location it grew, and suggests that it's legit and legal.
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