White ash (Fraxinus americana) is a North American hardwood known for toughness, elasticity and a bold ring-porous grain. Colour is typically pale to light brown with wide sapwood, and the open pores give it a strong, sporty grain pattern under stain and finish.
In the workshop ash is generally cooperative: it machines well, steam-bends well, and glues and finishes reliably. That combination is why it’s been a traditional choice for tool handles, sports equipment and hard-wearing furniture parts where you want strength with a bit of spring.
Natural durability is low, so white ash belongs indoors or fully protected. Think of it as a performance hardwood for impact and bending, not an exterior timber—brilliant when used in the environment it suits.