How much is red sandalwood per jin in 2018? Including identification methods
Red sandalwood is produced in Taiwan, China, Guangdong and Yunnan (southern part). The wood is hard and dense, and the heartwood is red, making it an excellent material for construction, musical instruments and furniture; the resin and wood are used medicinally. So how much is the price of red sandalwood per jin in 2018? How do you identify red sandalwood?
How much is red sandalwood per jin? Raw materials in wholesale circles generally range from 300-2000 per jin, with burl being the most expensive. Beads made from material at 300 per jin are basically unwatchable; I only choose material at 400-1800 per jin. However, many half-baked players in the market who do not understand and cannot judge the quality of the material keep demanding 2.0 bead bracelets of over 70 grams. So how much is red sandalwood per jin?
The price of small-leaf red sandalwood logs has multiplied in recent years. A Mr. Wang from Beijing bought 10 tons of old material in 2000 at 50,000 yuan per ton to make furniture, then kept it stored away without touching it, and sold it in 2011 for 8 million, that is 800,000 per ton. Since then it has basically maintained an increase of more than 20% per year, which is nearly 1.4 million per ton, or 700 yuan per jin. 1 jin of red sandalwood material can make 4 bead bracelets of 0.6 cm diameter, so the cost of the material alone is 175 yuan. Adding other labor, water, electricity, taxes and so on brings it to nearly 300 yuan, and this does not even count the manufacturer's profit. That is to say, if it is old material, 0.6 cannot be lower than 300 yuan, 0.8-1.2 specifications cannot be lower than 400, and 1.5-2.0 cannot be lower than 500.
The simplest method is: gently wipe the surface of the wood with an alcohol cotton ball. If the cotton ball turns purplish red, it is red sandalwood; you can also scrape a little wood dust from the wood and soak it in liquor. If the dust forms streaks of blood-red filaments, it is red sandalwood. Old red sandalwood does not lose color when soaked in water, and any applied color wipes off; new red sandalwood loses color after soaking in water, and applied color does not come off.
To identify red sandalwood, you can also use the comparison method, judging by comparing the wood grain and the feel through the senses. Based on many years of research and practical experience, we have summarized the “five-step red sandalwood identification method.”
The first step is “look”
Compare against the grain characteristics of red sandalwood and carefully observe its color. It is best to prepare two or three genuine red sandalwood samples with different grains and compare them. After looking at many, you will get a feel for identifying red sandalwood grain.
The second step is “weigh in the hand”
Heft a red sandalwood object. On one hand, by hefting it, see whether it reaches the weight that red sandalwood (of that volume) should reach; on the other hand, pay attention to the feel during the hefting. Generally speaking, after hefting more than eight hundred red sandalwood objects, you will have the feel. What is the feel? It can only be sensed, not put into words.
The third step is “smell”
Scrape a little of the cut wood with a small knife and smell the odor of the wood shavings. “Sandalwood red sandalwood” has a faint delicate fragrance; if the fragrance is too strong or there is no aroma, it is suspect. “Lu's black rosewood” has a sour fragrance, and the odor is rather strong.
The fourth step is “soak”
Soak red sandalwood shavings or sawdust in water or baijiu. The leachate of red sandalwood shavings in water is purplish red, with fluorescence on the surface. After red sandalwood shavings are soaked in alcohol, they can be used to dye cloth, and the color never fades.
The fifth step is “tap”
Use a genuine red sandalwood block, preferably a “red sandalwood paperweight,” to gently tap a red sandalwood object and listen to its sound. The tapping sound of red sandalwood is crisp and pleasant, with no extraneous noise.
Mastering the five-step red sandalwood identification method of “look,” “weigh in the hand,” “smell,” “soak” and “tap” requires a process of familiarization. If an expert guides you, this process will be greatly shortened. As for whether there is a shortcut to identifying red sandalwood, it can be said there is none, and also that there is. No shortcut means solidly accumulating experience; the shortcut is: look often, heft often, smell often, soak often, tap often.