Found in Bolivia and Brazil, this is not a true rosewood. True rosewoods fall under the Dalbergia genus and the most popular, Brazilian Rosewood, is considered endangered. Many other true rosewoods have also been over-harvested. Machaerium scleroxylon is a wonderful alternative with a very similar appearance - the tree is from a separate genus, but is still within the legume family. Bolivian Rosewood is also known as Pau Ferro or Santos Rosewood. This species secretes a large amount of natural oils, making it extremely soft and smooth even prior to finishing. Much like Black Walnut, pieces capturing where the heartwood meets the sapwood are exquisite due to their high contrast. The heartwood contains vibrant, reddish browns lashed with curves of black, while the narrow sapwood is a pale beige to white. We are thoroughly convinced our Viking Lumberjack predecessors would have wanted this wood for special, ceremonial instruments.