A UK website,
www.bokkenshop.co.uk
is selling mokgum in a variety of unusual materials:

Red or white oak (perhaps not that exotic)
Tetsuboku
Loquat
Sunuke

Does anyone have experience of mokgum in these materials? How do they compare with the standard Federation mokgum?

During a seminar last year, Master Han expressed concern over the degree of contact during gyuk gum with Federation mokgum because of possible splintering. Any comments? Would this be avoided with the use of harder woods or should contact always be extra light?

Haidong,
David Bucker