Craig - First of all, beautiful work. And that's a beautiful wood. I have a
website concerned with 'wood for weaponry.' I'd love to add your information in merbau, along with a photo of your work. If that's OK with you, please let me know.
My website is concerned with how a wood stands up to punishment. Are you using your bokken in to person forms - and if so, against Japanese oak (or other oak or hickory) bokken? How does it stand up? Splinters? Dents? How does it feel in the hands with impact on another weapon?