A couple of Christmas' ago I decided to make a large shrink pot as a gift for my wife. A hunt through the wood pile turned up a beautiful piece of Golden Robinia (also known as Black Locust). Little did I know that with a Janka rating of 1700 it is up there with Hickory and hard as heck for the project I intended it for. The resulting pot was stunning but I will admit to regretting my choice half way through.
Understanding the Janka Hardness Scale: What It Means for Wood Carving
If you’ve ever tried to carve into a piece of wood and felt like your tools were bouncing off a rock, chances are, you were dealing with a hardwood that ranks high on the Janka Hardness Scale. On the flip side, if your blade glided through like butter, you were likely working with a softer wood. But what exactly is the Janka Hardness Scale, and how does it affect wood carving? Let’s break it down.
What Is the Janka Hardness Scale?
The Janka Hardness Scale measures the resistance of wood to denting and wear. It’s determined by testing how much force (measured in pounds-force or newtons) is required to embed a 0.444-inch steel ball halfway into the wood. The higher the number, the harder the wood.
For example:
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Balsa (one of the softest woods) has a Janka rating of around 70 lbf (pounds-force).
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Basswood (a favorite among carvers) sits at about 410 lbf.
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Cherry is around 950 lbf.
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Oak ranges between 1200-1360 lbf.
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Ironwood (as tough as the name suggests) can exceed 4000 lbf!
Why Does Janka Hardness Matter for Wood Carving?
For woodworkers, the Janka scale is a handy reference that will help you to predict how a wood species will behave under tools. Here’s how hardness plays into carving:
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Soft Woods (Low Janka Rating, Under 1000 lbf)
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Easier to carve with hand tools
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Less wear on blades
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Great for beginners
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Examples: Basswood, Butternut, Pine
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Medium Hardness Woods (1000-2000 lbf)
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Requires harder wearing tools
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Holds details well
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A bit more resistance, but still manageable
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Examples: Cherry, Walnut, Maple
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Hard Woods (Over 2000 lbf)
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Tough on tools (regular honing and sharpening is a must!)
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Can hold extremely fine detail
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Best suited for experienced carvers
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Examples: Hickory, Rosewood, Ironwood
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Choosing the Right Wood for Your Project
If you’re new to carving, starting with a lower Janka-rated wood like basswood, tulipwood or jelutong is a smart move. These woods are forgiving, easy to shape, and less likely to cause frustration. If you’re up for a challenge and want more intricate detail, cherry or walnut might be a good next step.
For those tackling tougher woods like eucalypt, oak or hickory frequent honing and sharpening will be necessarily. These woods hold up beautifully but demand patience and skill.
Final Thoughts
The Janka Hardness Scale is a great guide for wood carvers, helping you choose the right material for your skill level and tools. Whether you’re crafting spoons, figurines, or intricate reliefs, understanding how hardness affects your carving experience can make all the difference. So next time you pick up a piece of wood, check its Janka rating—it might just save you some frustration (and a few dulled blades)!
| Wood Species | Hardness Rating (Janka) |
| Atlantic White Cedar | 350 |
| Basswood | 410 |
| Parota | 470 |
| Obeche | 490 |
| Butternut | 490 |
| Cypress | 510 |
| Poplar | 540 |
| Alder | 590 |
| Spanish Cedar | 600 |
| Norfolk Island Pine | 650 |
| Podocarpus | 760 |
| Sycamore | 770 |
| Florida Mahogany | 800 |
| African Mahogany | 830 |
| Lacewood | 840 |
| Black Ash | 850 |
| Cambara Mahogany | 860 |
| Australian Lacewood | 880 |
| Aromatic Cedar | 900 |
| Monkeypod | 900 |
| Camphor Laurel | 950 |
| Curly Soft Maple | 950 |
| Cherry | 950 |
| Soft Maple | 950 |
| Imbuia | 950 |
| Curly Cherry | 950 |
| Chinaberry | 990 |
| Black Walnut | 1010 |
| Bolivian Walnut | 1020 |
| Holly | 1020 |
| Plantation Teak | 1050 |
| Burmese Teak | 1050 |
| Mango | 1070 |
| Peruvian Walnut | 1080 |
| Teak | 1080 |
| Makore | 1100 |
| Anigre | 1110 |
| Acacia | 1180 |
| S. Amer. Mahogany | 1200 |
| Nicaraguan Rosewood | 1210 |
| Andiroba | 1220 |
| Red Oak | 1220 |
| Curly Oak | 1220 |
| Long Leaf Pine | 1225 |
| Birch | 1260 |
| Amboyna Burl | 1260 |
| Red Oak | 1290 |
| Qt. Sawn Red Oak | 1290 |
| Beech | 1300 |
| Ash | 1320 |
| White Oak | 1360 |
| Qt. Sawn White Oak | 1360 |
| English Brown Oak | 1360 |
| Bishopwood | 1370 |
| Australian Cypress | 1375 |
| Sapele | 1410 |
| Curly Hard Maple | 1450 |
| Hard Maple | 1450 |
| Birdseye Maple | 1450 |
| Canarywood | 1520 |
| Melaleuca | 1530 |
| Honey Locust | 1548 |
| Wenge | 1630 |
| Nicaraguan Rosewood | 1650 |
| Garapa | 1650 |
| Laurel Oak | 1650 |
| Indian Rosewood | 1660 |
| Hickory | 1820 |
| Pecan | 1820 |
| Yellowheart | 1820 |
| Zebrawood | 1830 |
| Itauba | 1900 |
| Red Palm | 1900 |
| African Padauk | 1970 |
| Figured Bubinga | 1980 |
| Bubinga | 1980 |
| Leopardwood | 2150 |
| Eucalyptus | 2150 |
| Tigerwood | 2170 |
| Tatajuba | 2200 |
| Honduran Rosewood | 2200 |
| Bocote | 2200 |
| Canarywood | 2200 |
| Jarrah | 2200 |
| Santos Mahogany | 2200 |
| Ziricote | 2200 |
| Persimmon | 2300 |
| Banyan | 2340 |
| Australian Beefwood | 2420 |
| Red Mallee Burl | 2490 |
| Bra. Tulipwood | 2500 |
| Purpleheart | 2520 |
| Marblewood | 2530 |
| Amazon Rosewood | 2620 |
| Flamewood | 2650 |
| Live Oak | 2680 |
| Olivewood | 2690 |
| Brazilian Cherry | 2820 |
| Bloodwood | 2900 |
| Cocobolo | 2960 |
| Angelim Pedra | 3160 |
| Massaranduba | 3190 |
| Gaboon Ebony | 3220 |
| Pink Ivory | 3230 |
| Macassar Ebony | 3250 |
| Camatillo | 3340 |
| Cumaru | 3540 |
| Leadwood | 3570 |
| Katalox | 3660 |
| Blackwood | 3670 |
| Ipe | 3680 |
| Brazilian Ebony | 3690 |
| Snakewood | 3800 |
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Curly Questions - Fell Satori Toolworks
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