English Walnut uses and characteristics
English walnut wood is used for fine furniture, cabinetry, architectural millwork, guitar/instrument making, woodturning, wood carving, automotive/aircraft interiors, box making, outdoor construction, and timber framing. It makes fine veneers and lumber. It is especially valuable for making beautiful, high quality gunstocks. 
English walnut’s botanical name is juglans regia. This is the source of most of the walnuts we eat. It is also known by the names Italian, European, Circassian, French, Royal, and Russian. The color and grade vary by where it is grown. It is the most expensive and most sought after of the gun woods today.
The English walnut tree is a deciduous tree growing to a height of 80-100 feet tall, and 5-6 feet in trunk diameter. They can live for 150 years or more. English walnut trees tend to have the shape of a short trunk and a broad crown, if growing in an open area. They require full sun to grow well.
The Northern California English walnut is of the famous Franquette line. The wood is highly marbled with beautiful mineral lines, and is highly prized for making remarkable gunstocks. The grain is exceptionally fine and holds an edge well. The color of the heartwood can range from a pale brown to a dark chocolate brown with darker streaks, while the sapwood is very light colored.
What many people look for in English walnut are dark mineral lines and marblecake figuring. Grading of this wood is related to the marbling and streaking in the wood.