There are more woods than I suspect I will ever see or handle directly, so it would be meaningless to say one or another is my favorite. I’m quite certain, though, that if I had access to every wood on Earth, there would always remain a place for cocobolo. But I am often tempted to say katalox is my favorite, even though it probably isn’t. It isn’t the prettiest wood, but it’s quite nice. It’s definitely far from the easiest to work with, and it’s difficult to acquire in larger pieces. I suppose my fondness for it comes largely from its strength, which is astonishing and well balanced.
I have seen both cumaru and ipe, both having similar janka specs, break or crack in ways that katalox won’t. Katalox is strong, seemingly regardless of the grain. It’s dense and hard, and hard as hell to sand. If one wanted a spoon that just wouldn’t go away, there are few better choices. The same could probably be said for a spatula too. So behold, a spoon and spatula made of katalox:
I have found that working with cocobolo primarily, I have developed a feel for it. Most of what I make is improvisational and shaped as I go along. With cocobolo, this generally happens naturally, and compared to most other woods, gracefully. I rarely handle katalox, and it kind of shows here. Neither item is bad, but neither is appealing in the way I prefer. But it remains a top contender for my favorite of all woods.
As for walking canes, I’d be delighted to make one of katalox, but such large pieces are rare and would be very expensive. Cumaru, with its availability and excellent strength, makes for a pretty good alternative. It isn’t the prettiest, nor the ugliest. It’s not terribly expensive either and makes a pretty good cane.
Most of my canes are made with the dual purpose of self defense and support in mind. Exceptions are inadequately sized pieces which limit design options, which in some cases are only good for one or the other. Cumaru is pretty good for both and more than capable of fending off a banana or other fresh fruit.