Bead bracelets and incense sticks all come from raw materials. Learn to read raw materials, and choosing finished products becomes much easier. Here are a few practical angles you can use on the spot.
Agarwood oil lines are the traces of resin formation within the wood. Natural ones follow the grain, vary in depth, and are irregular. When you get a piece of raw material, first check whether the oil lines are continuous and whether they have a "live" direction; if the oil color is suspiciously uniform or the edges show signs of later treatment, be cautious.
Raw material has a rather faint scent at room temperature; only with indirect heat or gentle heating does the aroma unfold. Natural agarwood's scent progresses in stages—cool, sweet, floral, fruity, each in its own order; treated material often flashes past in one rush or carries off notes. When smelling raw material, it is best to smell how it is "after heating."
Material with more oil feels heavier, but weight is also affected by moisture content. Freshly cut or damp material will be heavier and drop back after drying. Don't take a momentary weight as evidence of resin formation—combine it with oil lines and aroma for a reliable judgment.
There is no shortcut to reading raw materials. Handle a few more pieces; feel speaks before parameters do.
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