Is there an online guide or explanation of the different types of Walnut?

Claro, Circassian, English, Turkish, California, thin shelled, yada, yada, yada????

Thanks, Joe

Good question.

I'd love to see such a guide as well.

Regards,
Dave

Comes from Great American Gunstocks.
http://www.gunstocks.com/digst.html

http://www.gunstocks.com/grade.html

This is brief, but it'll get you started.

Terry

A little more, From Paul&Sharon Dressel

http://www.dressels.com/id15.htm

The most fun read I've seen is Peter Hiatt's site. Check out "A Walnut Sampler". P. Hiatt

Tiggertate, what is "fun" about Hiatt's site is how uninformed it is. Claro is not American black, it is a totally different species and Bastogne is a cross between Claro and English and not American black and English. The Lesser Caucasus Mountain Range forms the boundary between Turkey and Russia (Georgia) and the upper boundary of Georgia is the main Caucusus Mountain range. Circassian walnut comes form both ranges. I do suspect that a lot of Turkish wood that had never seen those mountains are classified as Circassian.

Thats what I love about this site. There's so much stuff out there it is hard to sort on your own. Thanks for the clarifications.

Thanks for all the leads and clarifications. I think I have at least a small understanding of the finer points now.

Joe

Here is some information on Claro walnut:

Quote:

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Claro Walnut
(Juglans spp. -- grafted)
Click on a photo to find a supplier!


OTHER COMMON NAMES:
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 0.56

DENSITY: 40 lbs./cu.ft.

TANGENTIAL MOVEMENT: 6.40%

RADIAL MOVEMENT: 4.30%

VOLUMETRIC SHRINKAGE: 12.80%

DURABILITY: Moderate to good

SOURCE: Western U.S., principally northern California to Washington

DESCRIPTION: "Claro" is a Spanish word meaning clear or bright, and the common name "claro walnut" is usually used to refer to the wood cut from the lower bole (stump) of orchard walnut trees, especially on the West coast of the US. These trees are a mixture of species, created by grafting an English walnut (Juglans regia) scion to a rootstock of one of our native walnut species -- either black walnut (Juglans nigra) or California walnut (Juglans hindsii). The wood near the graft tends to be variegated in color, with beautiful marble-like, dark brown and tan swirls in the figure. It is a favorite wood for making gunstocks.
There is some confusion about the term "claro", since the lumber trade sometimes uses it to describe the wood of ordinary California walnut, which is more like black walnut, rather than the marbled variety cut from orchard trees.
Claro walnut has working properties similar to black walnut. It works well with hand and power tools, has good strength and bending properties, and takes finishes well. It is used mainly for high-quality furniture and gunstocks.

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Here is some information on American Black Walnut:

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OTHER COMMON NAMES:
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 0.56

DENSITY:

TANGENTIAL MOVEMENT: 7.80%

RADIAL MOVEMENT: 5.50%

VOLUMETRIC SHRINKAGE: 12.80%

DURABILITY: Very good

SOURCE: Eastern U.S., principally central and Appalachian states

DESCRIPTION: Moderately hard, strong, durable, excellent shock resistance. Heartwood rich, dark brown, sapwood when freshly cut nearly white. Universally esteemed for superb technical properties, including stability, and generally regarded as the most beautiful and most valuable cabinet wood in North America.

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Here is some information on english walnut:

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OTHER COMMON NAMES: Persian walnut, European walnut, circassian walnut
SPECIFIC GRAVITY: 0.47

DENSITY: 32 pcf

TANGENTIAL MOVEMENT: 6.40%

RADIAL MOVEMENT: 4.30%

VOLUMETRIC SHRINKAGE:

DURABILITY: Moderately good

SOURCE: Western and central Asia to Western Europe

DESCRIPTION: Variable in color, with a grayish-brown background, often with irregular dark streaks and wavy grain. Also available as highly-figured veneer. Works easily and takes a high polish.

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Hope that helps.

Scott