In this day of mass production, laminated wood and prefabricated kits, finding all natural solid wood weapons that are designed and handcrafted by a workshop can be a hopeless task! All of the Nunchaku presented here are hand made in our workshop. We use only solid hardwoods. We do not use laminations, plywoods or veneers. These are all cost cutting methods. We make and sell only exotic wood chux knowing that there are many websites which offer cut rate pricing for mass produced chux. Want a $1.99 pair of chux with free shipping? Sorry, not here. We would not even hope to compete with the companies which sell them!
Our goal is to create unique, functional and beautiful martial arts weapons at a price just above the cost of regular mass produced chucks. Woodall's Custom Workshop buys the wood, hand makes them in our custom workshop and sells them directly to you through this website. Having no middleman saves you money.
If you want a pair of custom made Cocobolo chux in your exact style that you will be proud of using for years and years (and something that everyone will marvel at) you are at the right place.
You can only use one pair of chux at a time (two if you are good) so they might as well be the best ones you can afford!! Working with exotic woods increases the pleasure of your workout and can be shown proudly. Exotic wood Nunchaku will give you years of service and enjoyment and will increase in value over time.
To jump right to our store, click on the "Visit Our Store" button on the top left of this page.
Just what is "One Pair of Nunchaku"?
There is some confusion about how many Nunchaku one pair is. Let's set the record straight. One pair of Nunchaku consists of two "sticks" connected together with rope or chain. The best definition I have seen for two pair of Nunchaku is "one pair for each hand". Enough said!
Woodall's Custom Workshop makes so many different styles of Nunchaku with so many different features that I have structured this website as follows:
Section 1:
Connector Styles - how the two wood members are connected together. See the different connector styles we make.
Section 2:
Types of wood - Some people know exactly what type of wood they want. Choose from the selection below and scroll down to that Nunchaku.
Cocobolo Nunchaku
Indian Ebony
Suriname Snakewood
African Padauk
Purpleheart
Brazilian Cherry
Black Walnut
Section 3:
Wood Hardness and Weight - Some people want to choose the wood by its hardness or weight. Here we have compiled actual weights of wood Nunchaku which we have made. This is at the bottom of this page.
Prior to showing you the kinds of wood we use in our Nunchaku, let's talk about the construction of the chux. Chances are while you are looking for a certain type of wood you probably have a favorite connector style. If you study the advanced weapon system of Lissajous then you use the shorter 3 link or string style which make finger or hand rolls easier. If you study the Freestyle Nunchaku system you use longer link chux probably in the eleven link range. We now carry 11 chain link chux or you can order one of our long rope styles and specify a length of 9.0" which is equivalent to 11 links. Like most masters of Nunchaku if your system doesn't specify specific lengths you probably have settled into 14" chux with 5 links. Many Nunchaku masters we made Nunchaku for use that combination of chain links and wood length. Whatever your system or personal preference you will see below that we can make whatever you need!!
Our Nunchaku are available in the following connector styles:
Chain Link Style
Looking at the photo above you can see that we have the typical chain link type. I show the seven chain link and three chain link Nunchaku but in reality we can make the Nunchaku in any number of links between three and eleven. Our webstore gives you the option of choosing from 3 to 11 links.
Traditional Rope
We also offer traditional rope for your Nunchaku. These are for the martial arts schools which require traditional weapons. The "long rope" is the same length as the seven link ball bearing cap while the "short rope" is the length of the three link ball bearing cap. For those martial arts systems, like the exciting new Freestyle Nunchaku system which have requirements for a different length, we can adjust the length of the rope to accomodate you. This actually solves some problems the "long chain chux" Nunchaku practitioners face. They require Nunchaku which have eleven chain links. Consider having your chux made with rope AS LONG AS ELEVEN LINKS.
New rope options are now available:
If you choose the Rope option then use the photo below and choose from eight rope options:
The online store has a pulldown menu labeled "Contruction of Rope" which allows you to choose your rope type.
If you would like some background on the Mil-Spec Type III Official Issue MIL-C-5040H Parachute Cord then read below:
Cord, Fibrous Nylon, MIL-C-5040H Type III - 550 Parachute Cord (Official Issue) utilizes a meticulously crafted cover and core yarns, yielding an unsurpassed, balanced and high performance cord. Used by the military for parachutes, this cord meets exacting specifications and standards because lives depend on it. This cord is constructed of 7 nylon braided cords surrounded by a nylon braided sheath. It has a tensile strength of 550 pounds. Do not be fooled by inexpensive "550 cord" or "Paracord" - if it is not listed as MIL-C-5040H TYPE III then it is not the real thing.
Upgraded Solid Brass Pin
One additional feature which Woodall's Custom Workshop has done to customize all our Nunchaku is to replace the standard rolled steel pin which holds the cap to the wood. We have replaced the steel rolled pin with a solid brass pin made here in our workshop. The traditional steel rolled pin doesn't have a head on it allowing the cap to work loose during a workout sending one of the Nunchaku shooting across the dojo floor. We have replaced that pin with a solid brass pin driven through the cap and deep into the Nunchaku wood. This pin WILL NOT come loose protecting your investment in your Nunchaku and keeping your dojo members and onlookers safe. For those of you who do "hand rolls", the rolled steel pin is no longer there to catch your hand.
Photo A below shows the industry standard rolled steel pin available on all commercially mass-produced Nunchaku. Photo B shows brass pins that we use in ALL of our Nunchaku (from the most expensive we sell to the most economical ones we sell).
There is an interesting story about how we decided to make brass pins. We made our first Cocobolo Nunchaku, a 12" non-tapered octagon Nunchaku similar to photo B, and I was holding the rolled steel pin about to press it into the chux (to hold the cap to the wood). I looked at the steel pin and thought "What a shame to have to use this in this nice Cocobolo Nunchaku". I looked back to the chux, then looked back to the steel pin knowing I needed to use it but not wanting to. Finally I set both down and sat to think about it. It wasn't long before I realized that we needed to create our own better pin and what we came up with is what we are using today. All in all, it really isn't that big a deal, but you have to admit it does look better!
To jump right to our store, click on the "Visit Our Store" button on the top left of this page.
Woodall's Custom Workshop makes all the Nunchaku you see. Many of the common sizes and woods are in stock and available for shipping. Unusual connector style and wood combinations or any Nunchaku with wood or brass inlay will usually ship within five business days after ordering.
Whether you are ordering a special pair of Nunchaku for your Sensei or a gift for a 1st Dan, please allow five days for your Nunchaku to be made and another 3 or 4 days for shipping.
Below are the different types of Nunchaku we sell. As you can see from the series of photos below you can choose both the shape of the wood and the type of wood.
Above is what Cocobolo looks like unfinished while the photo below shows finished Cocobolo.
Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa) comes from Central America. The heartwood ranges from a bright orange-yellow to purplish-red and deepens upon exposure. This hard and heavy wood accepts a wide range of finishes. Its uses include: Nunchaku, Bo Staff and Tonfa. This wood is probably the most popular wood to make martials arts weapons with and is a wood most martial artists are well familiar with.
Below are a series of photos showing the types of body styles we make for our Cocobolo Nunchaku.
Cocobolo Body Styles:
Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) Style:
The photo above is the most popular style of Nunchaku we make. It is round and tapers from 1" at the cap to 1 1/4" at the bottom. The bottom is specially rounded in a style called the "Baseball Bat" style (abbreviated BB). This style is known as the Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) style. It is available in lengths from 8" to 16". Combine this style with the various connector styles we offer above and you have a lot of designs to choose from. The photo above shows the spectacular grain that Cocobolo is famous for.
Round Non Tapered Baseball Bat style (RNTBB):
This Nunchaku is dowel shaped with the rounded end. The normal diameter is 1" and can be special ordered in thicknesses up to 1 3/4". Again this is availalbe in lengths from 8" to 16". It also is available in all connector styles.
Octagon Tapered Style:
This style of Nunchaku is 1" at the cap and typically 1 1/4" at the bottom. Traditionally the bottom is flat and that is how we make it. This is actually the most difficult style for Woodall's Custom Workshop to make but it does turn out beautifully ! As with our other Cocobolo chux this is available in lengths from 8" to 16". Just remember that a taper of 1/4" over 8 inches of length looks much different than a 1/4" over a longer Nunchaku. As you can see to the right of the photo, these Nunchaku are a traditionally strung pair.
Non-Tapered Octagon style:
This style is eight sided and has a consistent diameter from end to end. The most popular length for this style is 12" but lengths up to 16" are available. All connector styles are available for the non-tapered octagon style.
There you have it. We have four major shapes that we cut Cocobolo to.
Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) Style
Round Non Tapered Baseball Bat style (RNTBB)
Octagon Tapered Style
Non-Tapered Octagon style
To see Cocobolo Nunchaku in our store, click on the "Visit Our Store" button on the top left of this page.
Optional Features
Wood and Brass Inlay
Something else that Woodall's Custom Workshop does that we don't see others doing is installing wood and brass inlay into Nunchaku. We have had previous experience in the installation of wood inlay into custom designed and made home furnishings. We had some demand in the local dojo that we train at and decided that we could do the same thing for chux that we do for fine furniture. Keep in mind that this inlay is real wood and brass. No press-on stickers here!
Below is a photo showing the five different types of real wood inlay we use. See if you can recognize the inlays in the chux below. These five inlay are available in all the woods which we use. To have inlay added to your Nunchaku, go to our webstore and choose the type of Nunchaku you would like to purchase. At the bottom of the page is a pull down menu where you can select the type of inlay to add to your Nunchaku.
Examples of Cocobolo Chux with inlay
Above is a round tapered baseball bat style (RTBB) Nunchaku made in Cocobolo, 14" long with a chain link connector (the metal cap at the right). It tapers from 1" at the top to 1 1/4" at the bottom. The inlay style is "Coral Snake" so named because of the alternating colors in the inlay. Brass dot inlays are shown above and below the wood inlay (one dot above and two dots below). Each nunchaku stick has 4 strips of wood inlay and 12 brass dots (only two wood inlay and 6 brass dots are visible in the above photo). A pair of Nunchaku has 8 strips of wood inlay and 24 brass dots. As you can see, we can spend alot of time on one pair of Nunchaku!
Above is a non-tapered octagon Nunchaku, 1" in diameter, with the same style inlay as the Nunchaku above - "Coral Snake" inlay with brass dots. This pair of chux is 12" long.
Above: This pair of Cocobolo Nunchaku is the Round Non Tapered style with a flat bottom. They are 12" long and have the "Diamond Braids" inlay. The diameter is 7/8". This diameter is about the smallest diameter a pair of Nunchaku can be made and still fit inside the metal cap. If this customer had ordered the connector style which didn't have the metal cap, like the traditional string, the diameter could be made smaller.
This pair of Cocobolo Nunchaku is the non-tapered octagon style, 1" in diameter and 12" long. This pair of Nunchaku has a specially ordered inlay called the "Zorro" style. This inlay was custom ordered and then installed by us for a cusomer and isn't available for purchase.
The photo above shows Indian Ebony in its unfinished state. The photo below shows the famed deep black color Indian Ebony is well known for in the finished state.
Indian Ebony (diospyros ebenum) has heartwood which is uniform jet black, sometimes with a wavy grain. It is a rare wood and is very dense and heavy and as its name suggests comes from India. After the Nunchaku shape is cut, all of the Indian Ebony Nunchaku we sell are hand sanded to 600 grit for a very smooth finish. We then hand apply four coats of lacquer. When held up to the light, the surface of the Nunchaku is pitch black but if you look at the surface under strong light at a very low angle, you can see the dark brown wavy grain which is typical for this wood. Below is a photo of a pair of non-tapered octagon Ebony Nunchaku showing the dark black surface with just a slight indication of brown wavy grain when viewed at a low angle.
Below are a series of photos showing the types of body styles we make for our Indian Ebony Nunchaku. You'll see that these are identical to the shapes we make for Cocobolo.
Indian Ebony Body Styles:
Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) Style:
The photo above is the Indian Ebony Nunchaku in the Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) style. It is round and tapers from 1" at the cap to 1 1/4" at the bottom. The bottom is specially rounded in a style called the "Baseball Bat" style (abbreviated BB). Indian Ebony is not generally available in lengths greater than 15". Fourteen inches is the standard length requested in this style. Combine this style with the various connector styles we offer above and you have a lot of designs to choose from. The photo above shows the jet black grain that Indian Ebony is famous for.
Round Non Tapered style (RNT)
This Nunchaku is dowel shaped with the flat end. The rounded end (Baseball Bat style) is also available. The normal diameter is 1" and can be special ordered in thicknesses up to 1 3/4". Again this is availalbe in lengths up to 15" with 14" being the most common. It also is available in all connector styles.
Octagon Tapered Style
This style of Nunchaku is 1" at the cap and typically 1 1/4" at the bottom. Traditionally the bottom is flat and that is how we make it. As I mentioned before hhis is actually the most difficult style for Woodall's Custom Workshop to make but it does turn out beautifully ! As with our other Indian Ebony chux this is available in lengths up to 15". As you can see to the right of this photo, this pair of chux is the traditional rope style.
Non-Tapered Octagon style
This style is eight sided and has a consistent diameter from end to end. The most popular length for this style is 12" even though we can make it, like all the others above, in lengths up to 15". All connector styles are available for the non-tapered octagon style. You can see the brown wavy grain in the upper right of the photo.
There you have it. We have four major shapes that we cut Indian Ebony to.
Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) Style
Round Non Tapered style (RNT)
Octagon Tapered Style
Non-Tapered Octagon style
To see Indian Ebony Nunchaku in our store, click on the "Visit Our Store" button on the top left of this page.
A note about ebony:
A note about ebony really needs to be made here. When a popular wood gets difficult to find you will find that manufacturers and lumber harvesters will look around at other commercially viable woods and choose other types which have the same appearance. These woods are then given common names which can create confusion. Ebony is a common name for at least six different species. Ask questions before buying anything with just the name "ebony" in it. The scientific name must include the "diospyros" genus to truly belong to the Ebony family. We include the scientific names (genus and species) to give you an accurate picture of the wood you are purchasing. Below are other common names and the scientific names of true ebonies:
Gaboon or African Ebony (Diospyros crassiflora)
Indian Ebony (Diospyros ebenum)
Macassar ebony (Diospyros celebica)
New Guinea Ebony (Diospyros insularis.)
Mun Ebony (Diospyos mun)
There are other species of true ebonies but the above are the most well known. Just make sure the scientific name has the Diospyros genus included.
Optional Features
Wood and Brass Inlay
The Indian Ebony Nunchaku below turned out so well that I wanted to show the entire pair of Nunchaku. This particular pair is a 12" non-tapered octagon pair with a 7 chain link connector and is one inch in diameter. It has 8 strips of "Diamond Braids" inlay and 24 brass dots. This particular pair of Nunchaku took us about 12 hours to make and really came out well.
Bubinga (Guibourtia tessmannii) is a West African hardwood which is light red or violet with fairly evenly spaced purple stripes. The wood is fine grained, hard and heavy. It takes a high lustrous finish. Some logs are figured with a wavy, roey grain resembling bees wings. This special wavy grain is highly sought after and is known by various names including Tiger Stripe. This is the type of Bubinga we use in the manufacture of our Nunchaku. The region of West Africa which is the source of our Bubinga is Cameroon and Gabon, West Africa.
The above photo shows what unfinished African Tiger Bubinga looks like. The photo below shows what it looks like when finished. All of our Nunchaku look like the photo below.
Below are a series of photos showing the types of body styles we make for our Bubinga Nunchaku. They are identical to the styles for Cocobolo and Indian Ebony. My supply of African Tiger Bubinga is limited and since my supplier isn't able to resupply me, when my remaining supply is gone I will no longer be able to make these chux.
Bubinga Body Styles
Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) Style:
The photo above is the Bubinga Nunchaku in the Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) style. It is round and tapers from 1" at the cap to 1 1/4" at the bottom. The bottom is specially rounded in the style I mentioned before called the "Baseball Bat" style (abbreviated BB). This type of Bubinga is not generally available in lengths greater than 20". Fourteen inches is the standard length requested in this style. Combine this style with the various connector styles we offer above and you have a lot of designs to choose from. The photo above shows the red/orange grain with the special wavy grain that this wood is known for.
Round Non Tapered style (RNT)
This Nunchaku is dowel shaped with the flat end. The rounded end (Baseball Bat style) is shown but the flat end is also available. The normal diameter is 1" and can be special ordered in thicknesses up to 1 1/2". Again this is availalbe in lengths up to 20" with 14" being the most common. It also is available in all connector styles.
Octagon Tapered Style
This style of Nunchaku is 1" at the cap and typically 1 1/4" at the bottom. Traditionally the bottom is flat and that is how we make it. As with our other Bubinga chux this is available in lengths up to 20". As you can see to the right of this photo, this pair of chux is the traditional rope style. This particular photo really shows the special wavy grain that Tiger Stripe Bubinga is known for.
Non-Tapered Octagon style
This style is eight sided and has a consistent diameter from end to end. The most popular length for this style is 14" even though we can make it in lengths up to 20". All connector styles are available for the non-tapered octagon style.
There you have it. We have four major shapes that we cut Bubinga to:
Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) Style
Round Non Tapered Baseball Bat style (RNTBB)
Octagon Tapered Style
Non-Tapered Octagon style
To see Bubinga Nunchaku in our store, click on the "Visit Our Store" button on the top left of this page.
Snakewood (piratinera guianensis) is truly a striking wood and the Snakewood that I use comes from sustainable sources in Suriname. Its markings, which resemble those of a snakeskin, give this small, relatively rare timber its name. It has straight grain, a fine, even texture and deep reddish-brown color with irregular, horizontal black markings. It is difficult to work with due to its hardness and it is extremely dense. Snakewood comes in several grades but only the "highly figured" grade is used for our Nunchaku. Because of its fine straight grain Linseed oil, varnishes and urethanes do not adhere to the surface very well. I highly recommend lacquer as the finish. It polishes to 600 grit and provides a highly reflective and beautiful finish. I recommend that inlay NOT be added to this wood. Below is a photo of unfinished Snakewood.
The quantity and size of Snakewood is so limited I can only offer Snakewood Nunchaku in 12" lengths only and in diameters 1" and under. As a result of that limitation the following are the only two styles available for Snakewood: Non-Tapered Octagon style and Round Non Tapered style (RNT).
Non-Tapered Octagon style:
This style is eight sided and has a consistent diameter from end to end. This pair is 12" long and 1" in diameter. All connector styles are available for the non-tapered octagon style. If you look to the right of the photo above you can see that this pair of Nunchaku has the metal caps.
This Nunchaku is dowel shaped with the end flat or it can have the rounded end called the Baseball Bat style. The diameters available are 1" or less and lengths are only 12" long or less. It is however available in all connector styles.
Photos of Snakewood Nunchaku:
The photo above is a pair of non-tapered octagonal Snakewood Nunchaku, 7/8" in diameter and 12 inches long. The connector style is metal cap with three chain links. The photo below is also of a pair of non-tapered octagonal Snakewood Nunchaku but these are 1" in diameter and 12" long with "metal caps with short ropes"
To see Snakewood Nunchaku in our store, click on the "Visit Our Store" button on the top left of this page.
The above photo shows what unfinished African Padauk looks like while the photo below shows what it looks like when finished. Freshly planed Padauk (like above) has an orange color. After finishing, Padauk settles into a reddish-orange color (like below).
Padauk (Pterocarpus soyauxii) is a medium to hard wood and comes principally from West Africa. The heartwood is deep orange red that will age to an even deeper orange. It has a moderately coarse grain texture with straight to interlocking grain patterns.
Below are a series of photos showing the types of body styles we make for our African Padauk Nunchaku.
Padauk Body Styles:
Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) Style:
The photo above shows what Padauk looks like when made into the Round Tapered style. It is round and tapers from 1" at the cap to 1 1/4" at the bottom. The bottom is specially rounded and is known as the "Baseball Bat" style. This style is known as the Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) style. It is available in lengths from 8" to 20" with 14" being the overwhelming favorite. Combine this style with the various connector styles we offer above and you have a lot of designs to choose from. The photo above shows the red to orange grain that Padauk is known for.
Round Non Tapered Baseball Bat style (RNTBB):
This Nunchaku is dowel shaped with the rounded end. The normal diameter is 1" and can be special ordered in thicknesses up to 1 3/4". Again this is availalbe in lengths from 8" to 20" with 14" being the most common. It also is available in all connector styles.
Octagon Tapered Style:
This style of Nunchaku is 1" at the cap and typically 1 1/4" at the bottom. Traditionally the bottom is flat and that is how we make it. This wood is unusually beautiful in the Octagon Tapered style. As with our other Pdauk chux this is available in lengths from 8" to 20". Just remember that a taper of 1/4" over 8 inches of length is much different that a 1/4" over 20 inches of length.
Non-Tapered Octagon style:
This style is eight sided and has a consistent diameter from end to end. The most popular length for this style is 12" even though we can make it in lengths from 8" to 20". All connector styles are available for the straight octagon style.
There you have it. We have four major shapes that we cut Padauk to:
Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) Style
Round Non Tapered Baseball Bat style (RNTBB)
Octagon Tapered Style
Non-Tapered Octagon style
This is just one of the styles and wood that the extremly talented and very friendly Mitch Thomas of Dynamic Chux uses in his Long Link Nunchaku Style. Mitch started using our 12" Octagon Non Tapered 11 Link African Padauk Nunchaku a few years ago. He has taken our products to his seminars and demonstrations for all to see the quality that we produce. He has wonderful things to day about our Nunchaku so visit our online shop and read his review if you are still wondering whether our company is right for your Nunchaku purchase.
To see Padauk Nunchaku in our store, click on the "Visit Our Store" button on the top left of this page.
Here are some examples of Padauk Nunchaku made with inlay.
Inlay Examples
This is a 12" long Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) style Nunchaku with a style of inlay called the "Spiral" inlay. Unfortunately this type of inlay was discontinued from the manufacturer so it is not available but this photo does give you an idea of how inlay looks on a pair of Padauk Nunchaku.
The above photo shows what unfinished Purpleheart looks like while the photo of the the dark purple wood below is finished Purpleheart.
Purpleheart (Peltogyne paniculata) is a medium to hard wood with tight, fairly straight grain with moderate to coarse texture and comes from Central and South America. It is naturally bright purple when cut and darkens to a deep purple when exposed to air. When exposed to prolonged sunlight it will darken further until it is brown. However, I apply a UV protectorant which prevents the Purpleheart Nunchaku from turning brown.
Below are a series of photos showing the types of body styles we make for our wood type Nunchaku.
Purpleheart Body Styles:
Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) Style
The photo above is the style known as the Round Tapered Baseball Bat style. It is round and tapers from 1" at the cap to 1 1/4" at the bottom. The bottom is specially rounded in a style called the "Baseball Bat" style (abbreviated BB). It is available in lengths from 8" to 20" with 14" being the overwhelming favorite. Combine this style with the various connector styles we offer above and you have a lot of designs to choose from. The photo above shows the spectacular color that Purpleheart is famous for.
Round Non Tapered Baseball Bat style (RNTBB)
This Nunchaku is dowel shaped with the rounded end. The normal diameter is 1" and can be special ordered in thicknesses up to 1 3/4". Again this is availalbe in lengths from 8" to 20" with 14" being the most common. It also is available in all connector styles.
Octagon Tapered Style:
This style of Nunchaku is 1" at the cap and typically 1 1/4" at the bottom. Traditionally the bottom is flat and that is how we make it. As with our other Purpleheart chux this is available in lengths from 8" to 20". Just remember that a taper of 1/4" over 8 inches of length is much different that a 1/4" over 20 inches of length.
Non-Tapered Octagon style:
This style is eight sided and has a consistent diameter from end to end. The most popular length for this style is 12" even though we can make it in lengths from 8" to 20". All connector styles are available for the straight octagon style.
There you have it. The four major shapes that we cut Purpleheart to are:
Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) Style
Round Non Tapered Baseball Bat style (RNTBB)
Octagon Tapered Style
Non-Tapered Octagon style
To see Purpleheart Nunchaku in our store, click on the "Visit Our Store" button on the top left of this page.
Here are some examples of Purpleheart Nunchaku made with various types of inlay.
Inlay Examples
This is a 12" Straight Octagon Purpleheart Nunchaku with the "Coral Snake" inlay with brass dots.
This is a 12" Straight Octagon Purpleheart Nunchaku with the "Spiral" inlay (no longer available).
Above is a photo of Brazilian Cherry unfinished while the photo below shows Brazilian Cherry in the finished state.
Brazilian Cherry (hymenaea courbaril) comes from Central and South America principally Suriname. It has a reddish brown color with mahogany-like grain. Just like American Cherry its color deepens with exposure to sunlight. If you are looking for a heavy nunchaku, this wood is for you. It is denser than hickory or even white oak.
Below are a series of photos showing the types of Brazilian Cherry we make for our wood type Nunchaku.
Brazilian Cherry Body Styles:
Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) Style
The photo above is the most popular style for Brazilian Cherry. It is round and tapers from 1" at the cap to 1 1/4" at the bottom. The bottom is specially rounded in a style called the "Baseball Bat" style (abbreviated BB). This style is known as the Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) style. It is available in lengths from 8" to 20" with 14" being the overwhelming favorite. Combine this style with the various connector styles we offer above and you have a lot of designs to choose from. The photo above shows the mahogany-like grain that Brazilian Cherry is known for.
Round Non Tapered Baseball Bat style (RNTBB)
This Nunchaku is dowel shaped with the rounded end. The normal diameter is 1" and can be special ordered in thicknesses up to 1 3/4". Again this is availalbe in lengths from 8" to 20" with 14" being the most common. It also is available in all connector styles.
Octagon Tapered Style
This style of Nunchaku is 1" at the cap and typically 1 1/4" at the bottom. Traditionally the bottom is flat and that is how we make it. As with our other Brazilian Cherry chux this is available in lengths from 8" to 20". Just remember that a taper of 1/4" over 8 inches of length is much different that a 1/4" over 20 inches of length.
Non-Tapered Octagon style
This style is eight sided and has a consistent diameter from end to end. The most popular length for this style is 12" even though we can make it in lengths from 8" to 20". All connector styles are available for the straight octagon style.
There you have it. We have four major shapes that we cut Brazilian Cherry to:
Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) Style
Round Non Tapered Baseball Bat style (RNTBB)
Octagon Tapered Style
Non-Tapered Octagon style
To see Brazilizn Cherry Nunchaku in our store, click on the "Visit Our Store" button on the top left of this page.
Inlay Examples
I currently do not have any photos showing inlay in Brazilian Cherry Nunchaku.
The photo above shows American Black Walnut in the unfinished state while the photo below shows Black Walnut in the finished state.
American Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) is a tough wood with even but coarse texture, straight grained with occasional wavy grain patterns. The heartwood of walnut is rich dark chocolate brown to purplish black. Canada and USA are the two major sources for Black Walnut.
Below are a series of photos showing the types of body styles we make for our Black Walnut Nunchaku.
Black Walnut Body Styles:
Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) Style:
The photo above shows what Black Walnut looks like in the Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) style. It is round and tapers from 1" at the cap to 1 1/4" at the bottom. The bottom is specially rounded in a style called the "Baseball Bat" style (abbreviated BB). It is available in lengths from 8" to 20" with 12" being the overwhelming favorite. Combine this style with the various connector styles we offer above and you have a lot of designs to choose from. The photo above shows the deep chocolate color that Black Walnut is famous for.
Round Non Tapered Baseball Bat style (RNTBB):
This Nunchaku is dowel shaped with the rounded end. The normal diameter is 1" and can be special ordered in thicknesses up to 1 3/4". Again this is availalbe in lengths from 8" to 20" with 12" being the most common. It also is available in all connector styles.
Octagon Tapered Style:
This style of Nunchaku is 1" at the cap and typically 1 1/4" at the bottom. Traditionally the bottom is flat and that is how we make it. This is actually the most difficult style for Woodall's Custom Workshop to make but it does turn out beautifully ! As with our other Black Walnut chux this is available in lengths from 8" to 20". Just remember that a taper of 1/4" over 8 inches of length is much different that a 1/4" over 20 inches of length.
Non-Tapered Octagon style:
This style is eight sided and has a consistent diameter from end to end. The most popular length for this style is 12" even though we can make it in lengths from 8" to 20". All connector styles are available for the straight octagon style.
There you have it. We have four major shapes that we cut Black Walnut to:
Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) Style
Round Non Tapered Baseball Bat style (RNTBB)
Octagon Tapered Style
Non-Tapered Octagon style
To see Black Walnut Nunchaku in our store, click on the "Visit Our Store" button on the top left of this page.
Black Walnut Inlay Examples
Currently we have no examples of Inlay for Black Walnut Nunchaku.
Woodall's Custom Workshop is always fielding a lot of questions about how hard one wood is over another or how much a certain type of Nunchaku weighs. Well, we have compiled the hardness and weight of Nunchaku below in three graphs. The last two graphs of Nunchaku weight are from Nunchaku that we have actually made. We hope these graphs answer some of your questions. Just remember that the weights below are for Nunchaku with ball bearing caps. Subtract 4 oz. from the weight shown to arrive at the weight of a traditionally strung pair of Nunchaku.
The graph above shows how hard different woods are relative to Pine and Red Oak. Pine, Red Oak and Hard Maple are listed because most people are familiar with how hard these woods are. The rest of the woods are the woods that Woodall's Custom Workshop uses to make Nunchaku with.
For example, how hard is Walnut? Walnut is only 2X harder than Pine.
How hard is Ebony, Cocobolo, Padauk and Hard Maple relative to Red Oak? They are about the same hardness (1x).
According to the chart, what is the hardest wood that Woodall's Custom Workshop sells? Brazilian Cherry, it is 2X harder than Red Oak and almost 6X harder than Pine.
Below is a graph showing the weight (in ounces) of 12" straight octagon Nunchaku. The data from this graph are from actual Nunchaku we have made (and weighed) Remember to subtract 4 oz. (weight of the ball bearing caps) from the weights below to arrive at the weight of a traditionally strung pair of Nunchaku.
Which wood results in the lightest pair of Nunchaku? Walnut at 9 oz. per pair.
Which wood is the heaviest? Cocobolo, at 17.5 oz. per pair.
Note that even though Brazilian Cherry is the hardest (from the graph above) it only weighs 14 oz. per pair. This clearly shows that the hardest wood is not necessarily the heaviest.
The graph below shows the weight (in ounces) of 14" Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) style Nunchaku. The data from this graph are from actual Nunchaku we have made (and weighed).
Looking at the graph, what wood are the lightest pair of Nunchaku made from?
Black Walnut at 13 oz. per pair.
From the first graph above (the Hardness Graph), Brazilian Cherry is the hardest wood. According to the graph above, is it also the heaviest?
No, it is actually in the middle in terms of weight. It only weighs 17 oz. per pair for 14" RTBB.
According to this graph, what are the two heaviest woods to make Nunchaku out of? Ebony and Cocobolo at 21 oz. each (per pair).
Last question: Why doesn't Snakewood have an entry in the graph for 14" RTBB Nunchaku? As mentioned in the Snakewood section (see above) Snakewood is only available in 12" lengths and in diameters up to 1".
For those of you who want to know the weights of 12" Round Non Tapered Baseball Bat (RNTBB) style, they are approximately the same weight of the 12" Straight Octagon Nunchaku.
For those of you who want to know the weights of the 14" Tapered Octagon Nunchaku, they are approximately the same weight of the 14" Round Tapered Baseball Bat (RTBB) style.
Remember that wood weights and color vary from tree to tree (and the position of the wood in the tree - heartwood (which is more dense) versus sapwood (which is less dense) and that the color and weight of your Nunchaku should be close to those I have listed above. Also remember that if you need chux of a exact weight I can increase or decrease the diameter or length of the wood to achieve your desired weight. Also remember that Nunchaku with ball bearing caps weigh 4 oz. more that their traditionally strung counterpart.
To see Nunchaku in our store, click on the "Visit Our Store" button on the top left of this page.