Ribbon Candy

Ribbon sapele is easy to spot. The figure is like ribbon candy. The ribbon figure occurs when sapele is quartersawn so that the growth rings are perpendicular to the face. Quartersawn lumber is less likely to warp, bow or cup. It is very stable. Quartersawing reduces the yield but increases the quality of the lumber. Below is one example of one way to quartersaw a log.

Note that the growth rings are perpendicular to the face.

Below is a cutoff from the plank I used to make this bowl. The growth rings are a little off perpendicular but they’re close. In the above picture the outermost planks have a similar angle.

Ribbon sapele is highly prized by bowl makers and furniture makers alike. The ribbons are both chatoyant and iridescent. The wood color ranges from light pink to brown and gold to red. My ribbon sapele bowls have always sold out very fast.

#1957 Ribbon Sapele Wooden Bowl