Its personal tase and does not reflect either the quality of the veneer chosen or the standards of workmanship. I made it clear that I wanted a close match for the original Teak but could not get a veneer to match which was certified from sustainable sources and I won't use non-sustainable or non-certified timbers. The Sapele was too light in colour and as Tom pointed out, in its natural state drew too much attention to itself. Some people might have liked that but it looked too disjointed to my eyes so my intention all along was to stain it to match the main cabs. I can tell you that in the flesh, it blends beautifully, so the intent was carried through.

Normally I'd agree about not staining timbers (I usually oil them or wax them and whilst they inevitably darken, they remain natural with the grain emphasised). In this case, that was not the intention. I'm happy with the end result.

This picture sums up the result, and whilst some may not like it, I'd bet most would agree its a good match:



Close up of the main cabs which have had the original finish stripped back, all scratches removed and 3 coats of Danish Oil:



Wadding going in: