Common trade names: African Blackwood, African ebony, Ebene, Zebra wood, Mpingo.
Genus: Dalbergia melanoxylon
Janka Hardness (pounds-force): 2940-4730*
Description: Not considered the true ebony, but considered the original African ebony, if that makes any sense. This commercially available wood is grown in Africa natively, and has been farmed successfully in Florida and Asia, if numerous sources are to be trusted. *There is some ambiguity to the specific scientific properties of this species. In any event, there is consensus that this species is extremely dense and hard. In at least one test, it measured the hardest among roughly 285 species.
Location: Central Africa, namely: Angola, Central African Republic, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe.
Common Aliases: African ebony, African grenadillo, Blackwood, Ebene, Lurr, Mozambique ebony, Muhati, Murwiti, Pingo, Rugbe, Shami, Umbambangwe.
Performance: Tungsten/Carbide tipped saws should be used in working African Blackwood. Blunting is severe in the machining process, boring and cutting are difficult, so always exercise care with sharp tools. I would tend to believe the upper realm of the hardness scale range for this species.
Acclimation: This species is available mainly in smaller quantities, and is a quite expensive product. Still, allow time for the species to equalize its moisture content to your environment.
Common Uses: Modern common applications are turnings and fine woodworks. African Blackwood is coveted by craftsmen globally.
From: The Wood Database
Common Name(s): African Blackwood, Mpingo (Swahili)
Scientific Name: Dalbergia melanoxylon
Distribution: Dry savanna regions of central and southern Africa
Tree Size: 20-30 ft (6-9 m) tall, 2-3 ft (.6-1.0 m) trunk diameter
Average Dried Weight: 82 lbs/ft3 (1,310 kg/m3)
Basic Specific Gravity: 1.08
Hardness: 4,730 lbf (21,060 N)*
*Estimated hardness based on specific gravity (see comments below).
Rupture Strength: 31,000 lbf/in2 (213,790 kPa)
Elastic Strength: 2,980,000 lbf/in2 (20,550 MPa)
Crushing Strength: 10,470 lbf/in2 (72.2 MPa)
Shrinkage: Radial: 2.5%, Tangential: 4.5%, Volumetric: 7.6%, T/R Ratio: 1.8
can i buy this?
ReplyDeleteIf it's the Apple of your eye, I'd say so. They are most certainly available somewhere. I'm an android man myself.
ReplyDeleteGrains of Ebony woodare generally straight, but may be interlocked depending upon the individual specimen. It is also very resistant to decay, though insect infestation reportedly takes a heavy toll on the wood.
ReplyDelete