Wanted: Red Cocobolo
- Thread starter cor325
- Start date
sequoia
Well-known member
StewMac sells cocobolo binding. Check it out. I've used a lot of it although bending it can sometimes be a challenge. Treat with respect however as it can be toxic to sensitive people.
Timbuck
Well-known member
I have used Padauk for bindings it was very red and bent easy in the bender.
PICT0001-2 by Ken Timms,
PICT0001-2 by Ken Timms,
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jupiteruke
Well-known member
I do not like using either cocobolo or paduk for binding because the color of both bleeds very easily with finish solvents. Even alcohol in shellac will bleed color onto a light colored side. I have found that redheart, (Chakte Kok, Erythroxylum spp. and Simira spp.) is just as red and does not bleed at all.
sequoia
Well-known member
I've never really had a problem with bleeding although I believe it can happen and that is not good. Could ruin a project because there is not much you can do to fix it. Yes, beware of bleeding...
My problem with cocobolo is how fast it fades over time. This is not a problem limited to cocobolo either. Many exotic colored woods do the same thing. UV + Oxygen = Brown. See a picture below as an example. The darker binding is on an uke I built about 3 years previously.
That's all very good information, thank you. I was thinking that purfling could handle the bleeding issue, but not sure that anything will prevent the fading. A differeent direction that I had been thinking about might be Bloodwood, even though a little more on the orange side.
sequoia
Well-known member
Heads up on bloodwood - it can be tough to bend. Extremely hard and brittle in my experience. Plus it is a little too red to my eye although some like the look.
