Chakte Viga or Paela is the name of a tree (Caesalpinia platyloba) from Mexico, which is very much appreciated for its unique colour and great durability. The rather small tree grows in Mexico and Central America, where it grows up to about 6 - 9 meters tall. The wood is narrow grained with very fine figure and is easy to work despite its hardness, it impresses with its really unique shimmering deep intense golden yellow-orange to orange-red colour, sometimes with a reddish hue. It has proven its extreme durability in South America, where it is said to last for up to one hundred years as a fence post. The woods appearance and properties are very similar to those of a famous close relative, Brazil wood, pernambuco (Caesalpinia echinata), which can hardly be obtained any more. This was the first choice wood for stringed instrument bows for centuries and the tree nearly became extinct due to overharvesting due to its excellent mechanical properties. Chakte Viga or Mexican pernambuco has such good qualities that it doesn't have to hide behind its relative at all! Long time air dried blanks from an old inventory, absolutely dry blanks, very unusual in this thickness! Through more than 10 years storage time the blanks have collected some dust and dirt and may be partially or completely sealed with wax to prevent from cracks, see last photos. The quality after planing the edges and surfaces is comparable with the depicted samples!
