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Purple heart B/S

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Geocoucou79

Post subject: Purple heart B/S

Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 4:06 pm

Walnut

Joined: Wed May 31, 2023 7:24 am
Posts: 11
First name: Dominic
Last Name: Leblanc
City: Saint-Gabriel-de-Kamouraska
State: QC
Zip/Postal Code: G0L 3E0
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur

Hi,

I just started a new a dreadnought for my girlfriend with purple heart back and sides. I don’t know much about that wood. Has anyone worked with it and would share his experience on thicknesses and workability?

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Chris Pile

Post subject: Re: Purple heart B/S

Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 5:11 pm

Contributing Member

Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2011 12:04 am
Posts: 5910
First name: Chris
Last Name: Pile
City: Wichita
State: Kansas
Country: Good old US of A
Focus: Repair
Status: Professional

Workability - tough stuff. I have a pal who keeps one set of chisels that he only uses on purpleheart, and one set for everything else. Have fun.

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DennisK

Post subject: Re: Purple heart B/S

Posted: Sat Sep 20, 2025 2:25 am

Contributing Member

Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:59 pm
Posts: 3631
First name: Dennis
Last Name: Kincheloe
City: Kansas City
State: MO
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur

I haven't done a whole back/side set with it, but I like it for bindings. It bends surprisingly easily considering its hardness and stiffness. It's only slightly heavier than rosewood, but much stiffer. 20GPa versus 12GPa Young's modulus.

Chris Pile wrote:

Workability - tough stuff. I have a pal who keeps one set of chisels that he only uses on purpleheart, and one set for everything else. Have fun.

African blackwood is even worse. Most of my tools are dull within a few strokes. But an old Stanley 220 block plane can shave away no problem. Buy one, they're cheap on ebay.

P.S. This thread may disappear tomorrow. https://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=57355

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