Return to Question

For some background: I am a guitar player, and I know of a variety of different woods ("tone woods" as they're referred to in relation to guitar building), but I have absolutely no clue in terms of handling or finishing wood in a more raw state. So please know that I am going into this small project with no experience, and please forgive me if I misuse any terms or make incorrect assumptions.

I recently purchased a beautiful slab of Rosewood from an exotic wood shop near me. I intend on sitting it on brackets to create a "floating" bookshelf.

I've been told that the slab is unfinished, and, when I asked for suggestions, the store clerk who assisted me shrugged his shoulders and said "just grab some oil finish from Home Depot." A quick google search, however, led me to believe that I should be very careful. Here is one example of an article I saw.

I currently have a desk from Herman Miller that is built with Mahogany, and I love the finish on it. It's smooth/dull/soft to the touch. Visually, it is not polished and doesn't have much luster. If I run my finger along the desk, perpendicular to the grain, I can feel the grain of the wood as miniature, paper-thin valleys under my fingertips. I treat it with Feed-N-Wax Wood Polish & Conditioner about once a month. Here are images of that mahogany.

I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this . . . I would like to apply whatever process necessary to have the new Rosewood I picked up match, tactically and visually, the Herman Miller desk. Not just for the sake of matching, but because I love the way it feels and looks.

Here are images of the Rosewood slab. Could you please give me your thoughts on this? I want to treat the wood as respectfully and minimally as possible while still obtaining the effect i'm after. Would this require a professional's help? Is there any sanding or turning (I don't really know what turning is) that would need to take place?

Thank you so much. This is my first post here, and i'm really looking forward to your responses!

Update:

Here are some additional photos that might better show the grain of the wood.

UPDATED QUESTION/TL;DR: How do I make the Rosewood feel and look the same as the mahogany?

For some background: I am a guitar player, and I know of a variety of different woods ("tone woods" as they're referred to in relation to guitar building), but I have absolutely no clue in terms of handling or finishing wood in a more raw state. So please know that I am going into this small project with no experience, and please forgive me if I misuse any terms or make incorrect assumptions.

I recently purchased a beautiful slab of Rosewood from an exotic wood shop near me. I intend on sitting it on brackets to create a "floating" bookshelf.

I've been told that the slab is unfinished, and, when I asked for suggestions, the store clerk who assisted me shrugged his shoulders and said "just grab some oil finish from Home Depot." A quick google search, however, led me to believe that I should be very careful. Here is one example of an article I saw.

I currently have a desk from Herman Miller that is built with Mahogany, and I love the finish on it. It's smooth/dull/soft to the touch. Visually, it is not polished and doesn't have much luster. If I run my finger along the desk, perpendicular to the grain, I can feel the grain of the wood as miniature, paper-thin valleys under my fingertips. I treat it with Feed-N-Wax Wood Polish & Conditioner about once a month. Here are images of that mahogany.

I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this . . . I would like to apply whatever process necessary to have the new Rosewood I picked up match, tactically and visually, the Herman Miller desk. Not just for the sake of matching, but because I love the way it feels and looks.

Here are images of the Rosewood slab. Could you please give me your thoughts on this? I want to treat the wood as respectfully and minimally as possible while still obtaining the effect i'm after. Would this require a professional's help? Is there any sanding or turning (I don't really know what turning is) that would need to take place?

Thank you so much. This is my first post here, and i'm really looking forward to your responses!

Update:

Here are some additional photos that might better show the grain of the wood.

UPDATED QUESTION/TL;DR: How do I make the Rosewood feel and look the same as the mahogany?

UPDATE 2/18/2022:

The rosewood has been professionally finished with shellac and beeswax. The result looks and feels amazing!

For some background: I am a guitar player, and I know of a variety of different woods ("tone woods" as they're referred to in relation to guitar building), but I have absolutely no clue in terms of handling or finishing wood in a more raw state. So please know that I am going into this small project with no experience, and please forgive me if I misuse any terms or make incorrect assumptions.

I recently purchased a beautiful slab of Rosewood from an exotic wood shop near me. I intend on sitting it on brackets to create a "floating" bookshelf.

I've been told that the slab is unfinished, and, when I asked for suggestions, the store clerk who assisted me shrugged his shoulders and said "just grab some oil finish from Home Depot." A quick google search, however, led me to believe that I should be very careful. Here is one example of an article I saw.

I currently have a desk from Herman Miller that is built with Mahogany, and I love the finish on it. It's smooth/dull/soft to the touch. Visually, it is not polished and doesn't have much luster. If I run my finger along the desk, perpendicular to the grain, I can feel the grain of the wood as miniature, paper-thin valleys under my fingertips. I treat it with Feed-N-Wax Wood Polish & Conditioner about once a month. Here are images of that mahogany.

I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this . . . I would like to apply whatever process necessary to have the new Rosewood I picked up match, tactically and visually, the Herman Miller desk. Not just for the sake of matching, but because I love the way it feels and looks.

Here are images of the Rosewood slab. Could you please give me your thoughts on this? I want to treat the wood as respectfully and minimally as possible while still obtaining the effect i'm after. Would this require a professional's help? Is there any sanding or turning (I don't really know what turning is) that would need to take place?

Thank you so much. This is my first post here, and i'm really looking forward to your responses!

Update:

Here are some additional photos that might better show the grain of the wood.

For some background: I am a guitar player, and I know of a variety of different woods ("tone woods" as they're referred to in relation to guitar building), but I have absolutely no clue in terms of handling or finishing wood in a more raw state. So please know that I am going into this small project with no experience, and please forgive me if I misuse any terms or make incorrect assumptions.

I recently purchased a beautiful slab of Rosewood from an exotic wood shop near me. I intend on sitting it on brackets to create a "floating" bookshelf.

I've been told that the slab is unfinished, and, when I asked for suggestions, the store clerk who assisted me shrugged his shoulders and said "just grab some oil finish from Home Depot." A quick google search, however, led me to believe that I should be very careful. Here is one example of an article I saw.

I currently have a desk from Herman Miller that is built with Mahogany, and I love the finish on it. It's smooth/dull/soft to the touch. Visually, it is not polished and doesn't have much luster. If I run my finger along the desk, perpendicular to the grain, I can feel the grain of the wood as miniature, paper-thin valleys under my fingertips. I treat it with Feed-N-Wax Wood Polish & Conditioner about once a month. Here are images of that mahogany.

I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this . . . I would like to apply whatever process necessary to have the new Rosewood I picked up match, tactically and visually, the Herman Miller desk. Not just for the sake of matching, but because I love the way it feels and looks.

Here are images of the Rosewood slab. Could you please give me your thoughts on this? I want to treat the wood as respectfully and minimally as possible while still obtaining the effect i'm after. Would this require a professional's help? Is there any sanding or turning (I don't really know what turning is) that would need to take place?

Thank you so much. This is my first post here, and i'm really looking forward to your responses!

Update:

Here are some additional photos that might better show the grain of the wood.

UPDATED QUESTION/TL;DR: How do I make the Rosewood feel and look the same as the mahogany?

For some background: I am a guitar player, and I know of a variety of different woods ("tone woods" as they're referred to in relation to guitar building), but I have absolutely no clue in terms of handling or finishing wood in a more raw state. So please know that I am going into this small project with no experience, and please forgive me if I misuse any terms or make incorrect assumptions.

I recently purchased a beautiful slab of Rosewood from an exotic wood shop near me. I intend on sitting it on brackets to create a "floating" bookshelf.

I've been told that the slab is unfinished, and, when I asked for suggestions, the store clerk who assisted me shrugged his shoulders and said "just grab some oil finish from Home Depot." A quick google search, however, led me to believe that I should be very careful. Here is one example of an article I saw.

I currently have a desk from Herman Miller that is built with Mahogany, and I love the finish on it. It's smooth/dull/soft to the touch. Visually, it is not polished and doesn't have much luster. If I run my finger along the desk, perpendicular to the grain, I can feel the grain of the wood as miniature, paper-thin valleys under my fingertips. I treat it with Feed-N-Wax Wood Polish & Conditioner about once a month. Here are images of that mahogany.

I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this . . . I would like to apply whatever process necessary to have the new Rosewood I picked up match, tactically and visually, the Herman Miller desk. Not just for the sake of matching, but because I love the way it feels and looks.

Here are images of the Rosewood slab. Could you please give me your thoughts on this? I want to treat the wood as respectfully and minimally as possible while still obtaining the effect i'm after. Would this require a professional's help? Is there any sanding or turning (I don't really know what turning is) that would need to take place?

Thank you so much. This is my first post here, and i'm really looking forward to your responses!

For some background: I am a guitar player, and I know of a variety of different woods ("tone woods" as they're referred to in relation to guitar building), but I have absolutely no clue in terms of handling or finishing wood in a more raw state. So please know that I am going into this small project with no experience, and please forgive me if I misuse any terms or make incorrect assumptions.

I recently purchased a beautiful slab of Rosewood from an exotic wood shop near me. I intend on sitting it on brackets to create a "floating" bookshelf.

I've been told that the slab is unfinished, and, when I asked for suggestions, the store clerk who assisted me shrugged his shoulders and said "just grab some oil finish from Home Depot." A quick google search, however, led me to believe that I should be very careful. Here is one example of an article I saw.

I currently have a desk from Herman Miller that is built with Mahogany, and I love the finish on it. It's smooth/dull/soft to the touch. Visually, it is not polished and doesn't have much luster. If I run my finger along the desk, perpendicular to the grain, I can feel the grain of the wood as miniature, paper-thin valleys under my fingertips. I treat it with Feed-N-Wax Wood Polish & Conditioner about once a month. Here are images of that mahogany.

I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this . . . I would like to apply whatever process necessary to have the new Rosewood I picked up match, tactically and visually, the Herman Miller desk. Not just for the sake of matching, but because I love the way it feels and looks.

Here are images of the Rosewood slab. Could you please give me your thoughts on this? I want to treat the wood as respectfully and minimally as possible while still obtaining the effect i'm after. Would this require a professional's help? Is there any sanding or turning (I don't really know what turning is) that would need to take place?

Thank you so much. This is my first post here, and i'm really looking forward to your responses!

Update:

Here are some additional photos that might better show the grain of the wood.