Wood Information
Pen #72, Walnut, Harding Pens
Black Walnut, Juglans nigra, Family: Juglandaceae

The walnut/butternut group (Juglans spp.) contains 15 species which
grow in South America, Eurasia and North America. The word juglans is
the classic Latin name of walnut, meaning nut of Jupiter.
Common Names: American walnut, American black walnut, black
walnut, burbank walnut, eastern black walnut, eastern walnut,
gunwood, Virginia walnut.
Distribution: Black walnut is native to the eastern United States, from
southern Minnesota east to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York;
south to South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama; west to Texas;
and north through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota.
Also found in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. Found often in mixed
forests where the soil is moist and well drained.
The Tree: Black walnut trees reach heights of 120 ft (37 m), with a
diameter of over 3 ft (1 m).
The Wood: The sapwood of black walnut is nearly white, while the
heartwood is light brown to dark, chocolate brown, often with a purplish
cast and darker streaks. The wood is heavy, hard, and stiff and has
high shock resistance.
Working Properties: Black walnut is straight grained and easily
worked with hand tools and by machine. It finishes beautifully and holds
paint and stain exceptionally well. It also glues and polishes well.
Durability: Rated as very resistant to heartwood decay–one of the
most durable woods, even under conditions favorable to decay.
Uses: Furniture, fixtures, cabinets, gunstocks, novelties, interior
paneling, veneer.
Pen #74 - Black Walnut Regency Fountain Pen
Pen #74 - Cap Open
Harding Pens and Woodturnings
Wood Information
Close-up
walnut