Purple Heart rough sawn lumber
Colour-forward exotic alternative for accent strips and specialty pieces.
View optionBloodwood Wood Guide
Wood species guide · Imported specialty hardwood
Bloodwood is best understood by how it looks, how it works, and where it should be used. This guide explains the practical buying details before sending you to the right Kingma products.
Scientific nameBrosimum rubescens (syn.
Janka hardness2,900 lbf
Average dried weight66 lb/ft³
Best fitCarvings
Overview
Why choose Bloodwood?
Bloodwood is a imported specialty hardwood associated with Tropical South America. It is useful when the project calls for carvings, trim, inlays, furniture, guitars, knife handles, and turned objects
For SEO and customer usefulness, this page separates the science from the buying decision: appearance, working behaviour, durability, project fit, and then the right Kingma shopping path.
Scientific nameBrosimum rubescens (syn.
DistributionTropical South America
ShrinkageRadial: 4.6%, Tangential: 7.0%, Volumetric: 11.7%, T/R Ratio: 1.5
DurabilityReported to be very durable, and resistant to most insect attacks.
Bloodwood colour, grain, and figure
Expect heartwood is a bright, vivid red. Color can darken to a darker brownish red over time with exposure to light.
In practical selection, the grain and texture are best treated this way: grain is usually straight or slightly interlocked. Has a fine texture with good natural luster, and is also somewhat chatoyant.
Working notes
In the shop, bloodwood is extremely dense, and has a pronounced blunting effect on cutters. The wood tends to be brittle and can splinter easily while being worked.
The wood’s dust has been reported as occasionally causing effects such as thirst and salivation, as well as nausea.
Bloodwood should be sold by project fit: colour, workability, durability, and the format the customer actually needs.
Best uses for Bloodwood
Best projects
Carvings, trim, inlays, furniture, guitars, knife handles, and turned objects
Use caution
Avoid specifying it by name alone; confirm board size, moisture, colour, figure, and the project environment before buying.
Finish strategy
Test finishes on offcuts first, especially when colour, blotching, outdoor exposure, or grain filling matters.
Buying note
Choose boards, slabs, plywood, blanks, or posts based on the project rather than species name alone.
Shop path
Buying Bloodwood from Kingma
Start with the direct species match when Kingma sells it. If stock rotates, use the closest live collection or a clearly explained alternative.
Sapele rough sawn lumber
Warm exotic alternative when bold colour is less important than furniture usefulness.
View optionSimilar woods and alternatives
If Kingma does not have an exact match online, use the buying links below as practical alternatives only when the colour, grain, hardness, or project environment makes sense.
Bloodwood FAQ
What is Bloodwood best used for?
Bloodwood is best considered for carvings, trim, inlays, furniture, guitars, knife handles, and turned objects. Match it to the exact board format, colour, hardness, and finish plan before buying.
Is Bloodwood beginner friendly?
It depends on density, grain direction, and tooling. Test cuts on offcuts first, and choose Maple, Cherry, Walnut, or Poplar when easier machining is the priority.
Does Kingma sell Bloodwood?
Use the buying section on this page. If an exact product is not listed, the linked alternatives are included only when they make practical sense for colour, grain, or project use.