Walt - note that all "mahogany" is not the same, truly not the same species and certainly not the same when it comes to bending. The best, by far, are the American mahoganies including Honduran/American/Brazilian/genuine mahogany, Swietenia macrophylla (it has a variety of common names), and Caribbean mahogany, Swietenia mahagoni, which is native to the West Indies and South Florida. American mahoganies seem to be harder to get these days especially in quality form and long lengths. And if you can find air-dried stock, that's always the best for bending (but good luck with that).
There are a variety of species sold as "mahogany" that are gorgeous and great for woodworking... except for steam-bending. These are the African mahoganies, which are very different species. These include utile or sipo (Entandrophragma utile), sapele (Entandrophragma cylindricum), and khaya (Khaya anthotheca, Khaya ivorensis, and a couple of other species). These are beautiful woods that have lots of great woodworking properties, but they are brittle and very difficult to bend. If you want quality American mahogany, find a trusted source that can provide verified, quality products. Some places are very clear on what they have, while others might say, "I don't know, it's just mahogany."
I've been paddling down remote rivers in the Amazon where I've seen huge stacks of gorgeous, fresh-cut mahogany left on the riverbank in the middle of nowhere, waiting for a boat to someday come pick it up. Some people might think it strange what people like us lust after... I was dumbstruck and salivating! After Hurricane Andrew hit South Florida in 1992, people with portable sawmills rushed around ahead of the chainsaws to salvage what they could of some wonderful Florida-grown mahogany.
