The Yellow pages have a category called "Hardwoods"

[ScottishBoy]

White oak is a total bitch to find around here. None of the stores carry it and special order is what they always say. But, the yellow pages have a category called "Hardwoods"
So I was pleasantly surprised to find I had a Hardwood Broker in the next town who was more than happy to give me a 2x4x33" of the most dense wood I have ever hefted.
Its so beautiful I dont even want to cut it. I swear you could club a mammoth to death with it. Just lovely.

He was quite interested in my hobby and may even be open to sampling a little.
Gonna try to cozy up to this man...

[Slow & Steady]

If I remember correctly, White Oak comes in around 47 lbs per cubic foot at a moisture content around 14%. Hefty, Hefty! If you want to do battle with a mammoth may I suggest Lignumvitea... it weighs in at 76 lbs per cubic foot, is very hard and very resistant to crushing, an important character of the wood if you get stomped by the mammoth. You see, we will be able to identify what is left of you by your uncrushed Lignumvitae Club.

Ayeee, I would recognize that club any where, that belonged to that strapping young fella, ScottishBoy. He had a thing for whomping Mammoths!

S&S

[Barney Fife]

Be very, VERY careful of exotic hardwoods if you're not 100% positive of it's true genus! Many of then tropical hardwoods have toxins and outright poisons in them, despite they're incredible beauty. It's a survival tactic from growing in a land lush with wildlife and nasty insects. Many of these can cause anything from mild rashes to complete Anaphylactic shock(which if you don't know, WILL kill you if you're not within minutes of a hospital).

Stay with the known woods for aging, and leave the exotics to woodworkers.

[ScottishBoy]

SNS- If I was going to choose one wood to make a club out of, it would be dymondwood. Nice Stuff.

Barny-Im not interested in exotic woods. I dont think I ever mentioned I was...but then again, I could be tired from clubbing those mammoths..

[Slow & Steady]

Scottishboy, I'm not familiar with Dymondwood. I will have to do some reading. Thanks

S&S

[ScottishBoy]

Its a high pressure laminate derived from Birch wood.
They take they birch wood and do a lamination series, then they dip the wood in resin compounds and subject the wood to several atmospheres of pressure.
It comes out smaller, much more dense and reinforced by the resin.

A 6 foot staff made of Dymondwood will weigh in at as much as 8 pounds.

[Slow & Steady]

Stay with the known woods for aging, and leave the exotics to woodworkers.

Funny you should mention that... I hadn't looked at a wood toxicity chart for years, so I checked one out online and what should I find but our good old friend from the known woods for aging:
Type.........Reaction...........................................Site.....................Potency.............Source..............................Incidence
Oak..........Sensitizer, nasopharyngeal cancer.............Eyes, skin..............++, ?.................Leaves, bark; dust...............Rare, unknown

Well... I got to dye from something!

Here is the complete list I got this from:
http://www.woodworkerssource.com/toxicity_list.php

[ScottishBoy]

nasopharyngeal cancer
http://www.woodworkerssource.com/toxicity_list.php

nasopharyngeal cancer!

...damn good thing I drink whiskey with my mouth!
...damn good thing I stopped snorting it too!

[Slow & Steady]

A 6 foot staff made of Dymondwood will weigh in at as much as 8 pounds.

If you give them Evil Ninja Monkeys a whoomp on the head with that and I bet that would sort your problems out with them real good!!

S&S

[still crazy]

If your having a problem finding white oak you can sometimes get it as "dunage".
We use it as blocks to hold pipe off the ground or to separate lifts of pipe to get forklift forks in for a lift.
They use it at lumber yards too between plywood.
Pallets use it a lot too.

[ScottishBoy]

Cut it up this weekend. 3/4 x 3/4 x 4 inch strips, charred with a torch until they could burn on their own, then directly into the bottle. Smoke and all. ( after blowing them out of course...)
Its already turning a lovely color.