Is American HinokiTM actually Hinoki
( Chamaecyparis Obtusa ). Well yes and no. American Hinoki is actually a grouping of wood
species closely related to Hinoki. Most American Hinoki woods are
in the same family as Hinoki ie. Cypress Family - Cupressaceae and some are in the same genus
(Chamaecyparis). In fact about 90% of one type of American Hinoki , (Port Orford cedar)
produced in the USA, is actually exported to Japan where it is used as Hinoki.
There are six species of Hinoki (Chamaecyparis)in the world, three are from Japan
and three from North America ( From: The Genius of Japanese Carpentry ). All six species
are in the Cypress family. The three wood species that I call American Hinoki are:
- Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana)
- Alaskan cedar (Chamaecyparis Nootkatensis)
- Atlantic White cedar (Chamaecyparis Thyoides )
In addition to these woods I offer six other species, four of which are also from the Cypresss family:
- Western Red cedar
- Northern White cedar
- American cedar
- Bald Cypress
- California Redwood
- Sitka spruce
- Englemann Spruce
- Bamboo
| Wood Type | Family | Genus | Species | Density (pcf) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamboo | ? | ? | ? | 30 (est) | |
| Hinoki | Cypress | Chamaecyparis | Obtusa | 28 | |
| Port Orford cedar (POC) | Cypress | Chamaecyparis | Lawsoniana | 27 | |
| Alaskan cedar (ALC) | Cypress | Chamaecyparis | Nootkatensis | 27 | |
| Sitka Spruce | Pinaceae | Picea | sitchensis | 26 | |
| Bald Cypress (BC) | Cypress | Taxodium | distichum | 25 | |
| Engelmann Spruce | Pinaceae | Picea | engelmannii | 24 | |
| Basswood | Tiliaceae | Tilia L. | Tilia americana L. | 22 | |
| Atl. White cedar (AWC) | Cypress | Chamaecyparis | Thyoides | 21 | |
| W. Red cedar (WRC) | Cypress | Thuja | Plicata | 20 | |
| Amer Cedar (AC) | ? | ? | ? | 20 | |
| N. White cedar (NWC) | Cypress | Thuja | Occidentalis | 19 | |
| Note: The greater the density (pounds per cubic ft) the heavier the wood. Density values shown are average values and will vary for individual pieces of wood. | |||||
| Port Orford cedar | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Density | Feel | Hardness | Status |
| 27pcf | Medium | ? | In Stock |
| (Chamaecyparis Lawsoniana) - Port Orford cedar, Oregon cedar, Lawson's cypress. This wood is in the same family (Cypress Family - Cupressaceae) and genus (Chamaecyparisas) as Hinoki (Chamaecyparis Obtusa) . About 90% of the wood produced, is exported to Japan where it is sold as Hinoki. A whitish to pale brown heartwood with wavy streaks of light tan. Straight grain. Spicy fragrance. | |||
 | |||
| Atlantic White cedar | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Density | 21 pcf |
| Specific Gravity | ? | |
| Hardness | ? | |
| Status | In stock | |
| (Chamaecyparis thyoides) - Atlantic White cedar, southern white-cedar, white-cedar, juniper, swamp-cedar, post cedar. This wood is in the same family (Cypress Family - Cupressaceae) and genus (Chamaecyparisas) as Hinoki (Chamaecyparis Obtusa) . The wood has a characteristic, aromatic odor when freshly cut and a faintly bitter taste. It is generally straight grained, fine textured, and light in weight. This wood makes an excellent blade. Not as light weight as WRC and NWC. Max blade thickness is about 8.5/9.0 mm based on current stock. | ||
| Alaskan cedar | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Density | 27 pcf |
| Specific Gravity | ? | |
| Hardness | ? | |
| Status | In stock jpen only | |
| Chamaecyparis nootkatensis - Alaska cedar, Alaska cypress, Alaska yellow cedar, Nootka cypress, Pacific Coast yellow cedar. This wood is in the same family (Cypress Family - Cupressaceae) and genus (Chamaecyparisas) as Hinoki (Chamaecyparis Obtusa) . Found in coastal forests from southwestern Alaska to northern California. The sapwood is narrow and slightly lighter than the bright, clear yellow heartwood. It has a slight odor best described as "raw potatoes". The wood is moderately heavy, soft, fine textured, and straight grained. I have only made one jpen from this wood as it is hard to find wide enough for shake blades. | ||
| Bald Cypress | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Density | 25 |
| Specific Gravity | ? | |
| Hardness | ? | |
| Status | In stock | |
| Taxodium distichum - Bald Cypress, This wood is in the same family (Cypress Family - Cupressaceae) as Hinoki. | ||
| Wester Red cedar | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Density | 20 |
| Specific Gravity | ? | |
| Hardness | ? | |
| Status | In stock | |
| Thuja Plicata - Western Red cedar. This wood is in the same family (Cypress Family - Cupressaceae) as Hinoki. It is the fastest wood that I have found for 1-ply blades. It is also very light second only to Northern White cedar. | ||
| Northern White cedar | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Density | 19 |
| Specific Gravity | ? | |
| Hardness | ? | |
| Status | In stock | |
| Thuja Occidentalis - Northern White cedar. This wood is in the same family (Cypress Family - Cupressaceae) as Hinoki. This is certainly the lightest wood you can use for making 1-ply blades. It has wonderful feel and looks great. | ||
| Engelmann Spruce | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Density | 24 |
| Specific Gravity | ? | |
| Hardness | ? | |
| Status | In stock | |
| ????? - Engelmann Spruce, | ||
| American Cedar | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Density | 20 |
| Specific Gravity | ? | |
| Hardness | ? | |
| Status | In stock | |
| American Cedar | ||