The Janka hardness test measures the lb/in2 required to embed a .444-inch steel ball to half its diameter in wood. It is one of the best measures of the ability of a wood species to withstand denting and wear. It is also a good indicator of how hard or easy a species is to saw or nail. Northern Red Oak, for example, has a Janka hardness rating of 1290. Brazilian cherry, with a rating of 2350, is nearly twice as hard. Values are obtained from multiple courses, & represent air-dried wood at 12% moisture
		Density	Rupture
ALPHABETICALLY	Janka (lb)	(lb/cuft)	Strength (psi)		BY HARDNESS	Janka (lb)
Acacia	1750	25	17,500		Lignumvitae	4500
Afromosia	2524	54	14,880		Verawood	4000
Afzelia, Doussie	1810	48	19,180		Curupay, Curupau	3840
Abarco	1020	37	12,910		Kurupaya	3840
Alder, red	590	23	9,800		Mahogany, Brazilian Tiger	3840
Amberwood	2200	48			Patagonian Rosewood	3840
Amendoim, Ybyraro	2947	50	16,900		Snakewood	3800
Anchico	2524	53	15,220		Ebony, Brazilian	3692
Andiroba, Virola	1130	28	15,620		Walnut, Brazilian	3680
Angelim Pedra, Amburana	3040	35	17,600		Cherry, Bolivian	3650
Angelin	1750	40	19,410		Cumaru, Brazilian Teak	3540
Angelique	1290	47	17,390		Tiete chestnut, Almendrillo	3540
Angico, Vermelho	3020	53	23,620		Paraju, Brazilian redwood, Jutahy	3500
Aniegre	980	34	14,740		Ipe, Lapacho	3342
Apple	1480	40	19,110		Tiete rosewood	3280
Ash, blue	2030	28	15,000		Ebony	3220
Ash, white	1320	41	15,000		Oak, live	3200
Aspen, bigtooth	420	25	8,500		Cherry, tropical/Mayan; Machiche, Cerezo	3190
Aspen, quaking	337	26	8,480		Massaranduba	3190
Avodire	1250	34	13,710		Rosewood, Indian	3170
Azobe	2940	56	20,960		Bulletwood, Balata, Macaranduba	3070
Balau	1642	52	17,540		Angelim Pedra, Amburana	3040
Balsa	100	7	3,000		Brushbox	3025
Bamboo	1450	48	14,660		Angico, Vermelho	3020
Bamboo, carbonized	1180	48			Marishballi	2967
Bamboo, natural	1380	48	24,700		Amendoim, Ybyraro	2947
Bamboo, timbergrass	1642	48			Azobe	2940
Banak, Kirikawa	911	35	12,990		Grenadilla, Mpingo, African blackwood	2940
Bangkirai, Amang besi	1987	49	17,760		Mangrove, red	2940
Basswood, American	367	26	8,480		Bloodwood	2900
Beech, American	1300	44	14,900		Etauba, Itauba	2900
Beech, Australian; Blackbutt	1569	52	20,230		Faveira	2895
Benge, Muteneye	1983	49	20,490		Manbarklak, Black kakaralli	2890
Birch, yellow	1260	36	15,570		Rosewood, Brazilian; Jacaranda	2860
Black cherry	788	34	12,360		Okan	2780
Blackwood, African	1720	75	29,060		Pearwood, African; Aboga	2732
Bloodwood	2900	51	21,600		Boxwood, Buis	2730
Bocote, Cabreuva, Santos Mahogany	2200	58	15,580		Pau ferro, Brazilian ebony	2713
Boire, Bodowood	1326	48	13,570		Purpleheart, Amaranth, Pau roxo	2713
Boxelder	720	29	5,140		Bubinga, African rosewood	2628
Boxwood, Buis	2730	55	20,960		Turpentine	2624
Breu	980	38	13,620		Tigerwood, Muiracatiara	2620
Brushbox	3025	61	21,460		Mahogany, Santos' Cabreuva	2600
Bubinga, African rosewood	2628	55	24,240		Satinwood	2600
Buckeye, yellow	350	42	1,420		Greenheart	2593
Buckthorn, Cascara	1040	32	8,580		Marblewood	2532
Bulletwood, Balata, Macaranduba	3070	60	25,610		Afromosia	2524
Butternut, Whate walnut	490	25	8,100		Anchico	2524
Cambara	941	37	14,580		Ironbark, red	2470
Camphorwood	930	39	14,190		Quebracho Colorado	2470
Canarywood	2000	31	18,600		Kaneelhart, Ajoewa	2464
Catalpa	550	26	9,400		Mora	2424
Cativo	625	29	8,150		Macawood	2406
Cedar, Red juniper	900	30	11,890		Morado	2400
Cedar, Spanish	1006	30	7,500		Osage orange	2400
Cedar, yellow	580	29	10,380		Pyinkado	2369
Ceiba, Kapok	281	19	5,150		Jatoba, Brazilian cherry, Coubaril	2350
Chechen, Black poisonwood	2200	63			Mesquite	2345
Cherry, black	950	33	12,300		Tamarind	2318
Cherry, Bolivian	3650	50	19,400		Macadamia	2300
Cherry, tropical/Mayan; Machiche, Cerezo	3190	53	12,330		Ironwood	2299
Chestnut, American	540	35	9,340		Tornillo	2299
Chinkapin, giant	730	33	10,490		Pradoo, Burma padauk	2267
Cocobolo	1136	63	9,870		Persimmon	2254
Coconut palm	1600	37	14,860		Wenge	2235
Coffeetree, Kentucky	1390	37			Tatajuba	2220
Copaiba, Bacana	1470	30	13,530		Padauk, African	2219
Cottonwood, eastern	377	26	8,270		Amberwood	2200
Cuangare	911	35	12,990		Bocote, Cabreuva, Santos Mahogany	2200
Cumaru, Brazilian Teak	3540	66	25,580		Chechen, Black poisonwood	2200
Curupay, Curupau	3840	65	26,730		Mahogany, Incensio, Cariuva	2200
Curupixa	1018	63			Ziricote	2200
Cypress, Australian hard	1375	42	11,400		Gum, spotted; Australian hickory	2185
Cypress, Mexican	460	29	10,600		Narrah, Amboyna	2170
Degame	1816	50	21,890		Goncalo Alves, Tigerwood	2160
Determa	657	40	13,590		Dogwood, flowering	2150
Dogwood, flowering	2150	50	18,540		Sucupira	2140
Doussie	2103	49	19,180		Doussie	2103
Ebony	3220	68	27,400		Moabi, Guajara	2100
Ebony, Brazilian	3692	74	29,000		Ash, blue	2030
Ekop	915	44	16,550		Pilon, Angelim	2020
Elm	769	40	12,080		Karri	2010
Embira-branca	669	41			Tallowwood	2007
Etauba, Itauba	2900	52	17,620		Canarywood	2000
Eucalytpus	1125	49	16,200		Bangkirai, Amang besi	1987
Faveira	2895	62	23,630		Ivorywood, Pau marfim	1987
Fir, Douglas	660	30	12,600		Wallaba	1986
Fir, white	407	23	8,580		Benge, Muteneye	1983
Freijo	1627	36	14,240		Para-angelim	1958
Garapa, Goldenwood	1700	52	20,040		Tualang	1938
Goncalo Alves, Tigerwood	2160	59	17,500		Jarrah	1910
Grapia	1658	55	20,040		Yellowheart, Anan	1878
Greenheart	2593	50	26,150		Hophornbeam, Ironwood	1860
Grenadilla, Mpingo, African blackwood	2940	75	29,060		Tarara	1860
Gum, spotted; Australian hickory	2185	55	19,360		Hickory	1820
Gum, Sydney blue	1273	48	17,130		Pecan	1820
Gumbo Limbo	370	24	4,900		Degame	1816
Hackberry	880	38	9,630		Afzelia, Doussie	1810
Hemlock, mountain	467	30	10,320		Serviceberry	1800
Hevea	995	28	9,500		Sandalwood	1798
Hickory	1820	51	20,200		Kempas, Thongbueng	1797
Holly, American	1020	38	5,540		Lyptus	1796
Honeylocust	1548	42	14,410		Hornbeam, American	1780
Hophornbeam, Ironwood	1860	49	8,380		Rosewood	1780
Hornbeam, American	1780	47	16,010		Shorea	1780
Hura	558	27	8,010		Mastic	1770
Ilomba	749	30	10,470		Acacia	1750
Imbuia, Imbuya	982	39	12,590		Angelin	1750
Ipe, Lapacho	3342	59	25,860		Opepe	1724
Iroko, Kambala	1260	41	13,580		Blackwood, African	1720
Ironbark, red	2470	66	14,950		Piquia	1720
Ironwood	2299	50	21,440		Garapa, Goldenwood	1700
Ivorywood, Pau marfim	1987	50	20,100		Locust, black	1700
Jarrah	1910	54	16,200		Patens	1691
Jatoba, Brazilian cherry, Coubaril	2350	50	25,100		Maria-preta, Arvore-da-chuva	1668
Jelutong	357	28	8,550		Grapia	1658
Juniper	1160	31	8,940		Zebrawood	1658
Kaneelhart, Ajoewa	2464	43	21,600		Merbau	1654
Kapur	1205	47	17,040		Roxinho	1650
Karri	2010	56	19,140		Shedua, Amazakoue	1650
Kauri, Agathis	1350	39	11,300		Balau	1642
Kempas, Thongbueng	1797	55	16,770		Bamboo, timbergrass	1642
Keruing, Apitong	775	46	14,050		Walnut, tropical; T'zalam	1630
Kiiat, Muninga, Mukwa	1564	39	16,280		Freijo	1627
Koa	1551	37	11,230		Peroba de campos, White peroba	1624
Kurupaya	3840	66	29,290		Quina	1611
Lacewood, Leopardwood, Lauro Faia	891	28	8,620		Coconut palm	1600
Larch, western	745	35	12,800		Olive, Brazilian; Taxi	1600
Laurel, California; Myrtle	784	34	12,740		Yew, Pacific	1600
Lignumvitae	4500	77	21,440		Timborana	1570
Limba	731	34	10,410		Beech, Australian; Blackbutt	1569
Locust, black	1700	44	19,400		Tree-of-heaven, Ailanthus	1568
Louro	1441	44	18,650		Kiiat, Muninga, Mukwa	1564
Lyptus	1796	50	18,860		Koa	1551
Macadamia	2300	44			Honeylocust	1548
Macawood	2406	63	21,670		Witch hazel	1530
Madrone, Pacific; Manzanita	1460	43	10,400		Mahogany, sapele	1500
Magnolia, southern	1000	34	10,980		Maple, Brazilian	1500
Mahogany, African, Khaya	1395	44	15,260		Tauari	1500
Mahogany, Brazilian Tiger	3840	60	20,120		Pau-santo, Angelica	1490
Mahogany, Incensio, Cariuva	2200	35	11,514		Apple	1480
Mahogany, Royal	1400	41	15,620		Copaiba, Bacana	1470
Mahogany, Santos' Cabreuva	2600	56	20,370		Madrone, Pacific; Manzanita	1460
Mahogany, sapele	1500	42	16,300		Bamboo	1450
Mahogany, true; Lauan	800	35	11,514		Maple, sugar	1450
Makore, African cherry	1294	43	14,620		Louro	1441
Maminha-de-porca	523	35	15,430		Tulipwood, Pau rosa	1441
Manbarklak, Black kakaralli	2890	59	24,100		Sapele	1439
Mango	980	39	13,510		Santa Maria	1410
Mangrove, red	2940	56	20,960		Mahogany, Royal	1400
Manni, Chewstick	1304	43	17,330		Mahogany, African, Khaya	1395
Maple, Brazilian	1500	34	19,870		Coffeetree, Kentucky	1390
Maple, hard-rock	1156	35	13,030		Sepetir	1382
Maple, sugar	1450	39	15,800		Bamboo, natural	1380
Marblewood	2532	64			Cypress, Australian hard	1375
Maria-preta, Arvore-da-chuva	1668	59	22,670		Kauri, Agathis	1350
Marishballi	2967	59	23,380		Oak, white	1333
Massaranduba	3190	61	29,290		Boire, Bodowood	1326
Mastic	1770	44	12,400		Sourwood	1326
Meranti, dark red	908	38	10,610		Ash, white	1320
Merbau	1654	49	15,560		Manni, Chewstick	1304
Mersawa	1290	40	10,620		Beech, American	1300
Mesquite	2345	50	16,000		Makore, African cherry	1294
Moabi, Guajara	2100	51	25,300		Angelique	1290
Mora	2424	62	21,080		Mersawa	1290
Morado	2400	55	17,700		Oak, red	1290
Movingui, Ayan	1278	45	17,000		Walnut, Mansonia; Imbuya	1290
Narrah, Amboyna	2170	41	13,000		Movingui, Ayan	1278
Nyatoh	1171	30	15,290		Ramin	1274
Oak, Asian; Rubberwood	890	37	9,500		Gum, Sydney blue	1273
Oak, live	3200	62	18,030		Birch, yellow	1260
Oak, red	1290	44	14,300		Iroko, Kambala	1260
Oak, white	1333	48	14,460		Avodire	1250
Obeche	408	24	8,110		Pine, Caribbean	1240
Okan	2780	59	20,860		Kapur	1205
Okoume, aboon	431	27	10,300		Bamboo, carbonized	1180
Olive, Brazilian; Taxi	1600	56	18,800		Nyatoh	1171
Opepe	1724	47	17,670		Juniper	1160
Osage orange	2400	54	18,000		Maple, hard-rock	1156
Padauk, African	2219	47	17,980		Thuya, Thuja, Arar	1155
Para-angelim	1958	48	18,260		Cocobolo	1136
Paraju, Brazilian redwood, Jutahy	3500	60	27,930		Andiroba, Virola	1130
Parana-Pine	780	34	9,520		Eucalytpus	1125
Patagonian Rosewood	3840	62	29,290		Teak	1075
Patens	1691	53			Buckthorn, Cascara	1040
Pau ferro, Brazilian ebony	2713	57	22,460		Teak, Brazilian; Tatajuba	1038
Pau-santo, Angelica	1490	73	27,180		Abarco	1020
Pearwood, African; Aboga	2732	58	24,870		Holly, American	1020
Pecan	1820	39	13,430		Curupixa	1018
Peroba de campos, White peroba	1624	46	16,470		Walnut, black	1010
Persimmon	2254	51	18,230		Cedar, Spanish	1006
Pilon, Angelim	2020	50	16,850		Magnolia, southern	1000
Pine	870	34	13,100		Hevea	995
Pine, Caribbean	1240	41	16,300		Pink ivory	995
Pine, lodgepole	402	29	9,090		Sakura, Chinese birch	995
Pine, spruce	647	34	10,190		Roble	987
Pink ivory	995	43	20,400		Imbuia, Imbuya	982
Piquia	1720	58	17,060		Aniegre	980
Poplar	432	29	9,435		Breu	980
Pradoo, Burma padauk	2267	54	19,610		Mango	980
Primavera	799	29	10,930		Cherry, black	950
Purpleheart, Amaranth, Pau roxo	2713	57	22,460		Cambara	941
Pyinkado	2369	55	18,010		Camphorwood	930
Quaruba, Copaie	593	30	10,820		Ekop	915
Quebracho Colorado	2470	59	17,760		Banak, Kirikawa	911
Quina	1611	48	16,820		Cuangare	911
Ramin	1274	42	17,020		Meranti, dark red	908
Redwood	402	25	9,840		Cedar, Red juniper	900
Roble	987	39	13,640		Sande	900
Rosewood	1780	53	16,970		Lacewood, Leopardwood, Lauro Faia	891
Rosewood, Brazilian; Jacaranda	2860	55	20,180		Oak, Asian; Rubberwood	890
Rosewood, Indian	3170	53	16,490		Hackberry	880
Roxinho	1650	56			Pine	870
Sakura, Chinese birch	995	35			Tupelo, gum	861
Sandalwood	1798	59	16,540		Sweetgum	850
Sande	900	38	14,310		Mahogany, true; Lauan	800
Santa Maria	1410	39	14,640		Primavera	799
Sapele	1439	41	16,220		Black cherry	788
Sassafras	630	37	14,570		Laurel, California; Myrtle	784
Satinwood	2600	64	16,930		Parana-Pine	780
Sepetir	1382	41	16,060		Keruing, Apitong	775
Serviceberry	1800	46	16,900		Sycamore, American	770
Shedua, Amazakoue	1650	52	17,750		Elm	769
Shorea	1780	52	25,400		Ilomba	749
Silverbell, Carolina	590	28	8,600		Larch, western	745
Snakewood	3800	81	20,930		Limba	731
Sourwood	1326	45	20,960		Chinkapin, giant	730
Spruce, black	422	29	9,405		Boxelder	720
Sucupira	2140	54	25,100		Embira-branca	669
Sweetgum	850	34	7,000		Fir, Douglas	660
Sycamore, American	770	34	10,000		Determa	657
Tallowwood	2007	55	21,970		Pine, spruce	647
Tamarack	526	34	10,750		Sassafras	630
Tamarind	2318	56	15,680		Cativo	625
Tarara	1860	44	18,600		Quaruba, Copaie	593
Tatajuba	2220	49	20,050		Alder, red	590
Tauari	1500	40	13,520		Silverbell, Carolina	590
Teak	1075	36	14,300		Cedar, yellow	580
Teak, Brazilian; Tatajuba	1038	39	14,740		Willow	568
Thuya, Thuja, Arar	1155	43			Hura	558
Tiete chestnut, Almendrillo	3540	62	25,100		Catalpa	550
Tiete rosewood	3280	53	15,830		Chestnut, American	540
Tigerwood, Muiracatiara	2620	55	16,620		Tamarack	526
Timborana	1570	57	19,700		Maminha-de-porca	523
Tornillo	2299	50	21,440		Butternut, Whate walnut	490
Tree-of-heaven, Ailanthus	1568	42	13,900		Hemlock, mountain	467
Tualang	1938	54	16,290		Cypress, Mexican	460
Tulipwood, Pau rosa	1441	35	18,650		Poplar	432
Tupelo, gum	861	35	9,690		Okoume, aboon	431
Turpentine	2624	58	18,620		Spruce, black	422
Verawood	4000	78			Aspen, bigtooth	420
Wallaba	1986	56	20,340		Obeche	408
Walnut, black	1010	34	14,650		Fir, white	407
Walnut, Brazilian	3680	35	22,380		Pine, lodgepole	402
Walnut, Mansonia; Imbuya	1290	35	12,250		Redwood	402
Walnut, tropical; T'zalam	1630	38	9,100		Cottonwood, eastern	377
Wenge	2235	54	22,020		Gumbo Limbo	370
Willow	568	25	8,150		Basswood, American	367
Witch hazel	1530	42	15,200		Jelutong	357
Yellowheart, Anan	1878	50	20,960		Buckeye, yellow	350
Yew, Pacific	1600	42	15,200		Aspen, quaking	337
Zebrawood	1658	47	21,340		Ceiba, Kapok	281
Ziricote	2200	53	15,700		Balsa	100

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Some other articles on woodworking and woods relating to the martial arts:

• Making Your Own Wooden Weapons: Taylor
• An Impact Strength Scale: Goedkoop
• Bokken Bashing: Taylor
• Buying a Bokuto: Taylor
• Wood and Weapons: Dix
• Finishes for Wooden Weapons: Taylor
• Wood Maintenance: Goedkoop