Ipê wood

Cleuson returned from cutting brush today with two new handles to be used for a hoe and also a pick. They were cut from small ipê trees (tabebuia serratifolia), ones which had grown up with brush in an unused entranceway to the Bosque. Cleuson tells me that this wood is the first choice for handles, as witnessed in the cutting tool to the left. What impressed me about the dripping wet handles was how smooth they were. The only preparation had been that of peeling the bark off the wood. I was also impressed with how heavy they were! Ipê is one of the so called iron woods.