Gabon Ebony

Material Type:
Hardwood

Also Called:
African Ebony, Congo Ebony, Calamander Wood, Gaboon Wood, Makassar Ebony, Mozambique Ebony, Negro Ebony, Royal Ebony, Glass Ebony, Black Wood

Durability Notes:
Gabon Ebony, also known by its botanical name Diospyros dendo, is one of the most durable woods available. It is highly resistant to rot, decay, and insect damage, making it an excellent choice for outdoor applications such as furniture, decking, and fencing. It is also known for its beautiful dark color and tight grain structure. Gabon Ebony is a great choice for projects that require a long lasting and beautiful wood.

Seasoning:
Gabon Ebony, also known by its botanical name Diospyros dendo, is a very dense and heavy tropical hardwood species. It has a beautiful dark-brown color and is commonly used for furniture and decorative pieces.Seasoning is an important process for Gabon Ebony, as it needs to be properly dried before it can be used. The wood should be dried slowly and carefully, taking into account the specific characteristics of the species, such as its density and high oil content. The preferred method is air-drying, but kiln-drying can also be used. If the wood is not dried properly, it can suffer from cracking and splitting. It is also recommended to leave Gabon Ebony for some time after drying before beginning to work with it. This will help minimize the risk of future warping.

Properties:
Gabon Ebony (Diospyros dendo) is an extremely dense, heavy, and hard wood species with a fine texture. It has a dark reddish-brown to black color with many lighter streaks. The wood is very heavy, weighing approximately 72 lbs/cubic foot (1160 kg/m3). It is also very strong and very stable, with a specific gravity of 1.42 and a crushing strength of 17,500 lbf/in2 (120.7 MPa). Gabon Ebony is highly resistant to decay and is naturally insect resistant. The heartwood is very durable and the sapwood is very resistant to preservative treatment. The wood is also easy to work with, taking a high natural polish. It is also used in musical instruments, furniture, and decorative items.

Typical Uses:
musical instruments, furniture, flooring, woodturning, veneer, carvings, marquetry, knife handles.

More Info:
Gabon Ebony is a slow-growing tree species and its lumber is usually highly-priced due to its rarity and difficulty to process. The wood is a heavy hardwood, weighing up to 66 lbs per cubic foot when dried and can be difficult to cut and drill without special tools. Gabon Ebony is also known for its excellent gluing properties and can be used to craft intricate inlays or turnings. It has been used for centuries in traditional African furniture and art.

Spiritual Properties:
Gabon Ebony is not known to have any spiritual properties. However, it is highly prized for its dark black color and is often used in high-end woodworking projects, such as luxury furniture and musical instruments. The wood is also known for its hard, heavy texture and resistance to rot and decay, making it an ideal choice for outdoor projects.

Possible Health Risks:
Gabon Ebony is a very dense and hard wood, which makes it a great material for furniture and flooring. However, the dust created by sanding or sawing the wood can be hazardous to a person's health. The wood contains silica, which, when inhaled, can cause silicosis, an incurable lung disease. As such, proper safety precautions should be taken when working with Gabon Ebony. Additionally, the wood may also contain traces of carcinogenic compounds that can be released into the air when sanded or sawed. Therefore, it is recommended to wear masks, eye protection, and other protective gear while handling the wood.

Sustainability:
Gabon Ebony, also known by its botanical name Diospyros dendo, is a tropical hardwood species native to West and Central Africa. It is a dense and heavy wood with a very dark, almost black color, and is prized for its fine grain and dimensional stability. While Gabon Ebony is considered a sustainable species, it is not necessarily environmentally friendly due to its high demand and the potential for illegal logging. It is also difficult to harvest, transport and process due to its weight and hardness. Additionally, due to its dark color, it is prone to staining and discoloration, and can be difficult to work with. For these reasons, it is important to source Gabon Ebony responsibly and from certified forest management programs.

Interesting Facts:
Gabon Ebony, also known by its botanical name Diospyros dendo, is an exotic hardwood native to tropical Central and West Africa. It is one of the densest and most sought-after woods in the world, with an average specific gravity of 1.3. Its heartwood is jet black in color with a fine, even texture, and is highly valued for its strength, durability, and beauty. Gabon Ebony is commonly used for carving, inlays, and turnery, as well as for making furniture and musical instruments. It is also an excellent tonewood for acoustic guitar fingerboards and back and sides. The wood is very difficult to work with, as it is extremely hard and dense and tends to blunt tools quickly.

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