Ebony is the blackest of all known woods, heartwood is usually black although sometimes with gray or brown striping. Very dense and hard with straight to slightly interlocked grain and a very fine even texture.

BOTANICAL NAME: 

Diospyros crassiflora

ORIGIN: 

West Africa - Primarily located near the equator

COMMON NAMES: 

Kanran, Kukuo, Mgiriti, Msindi, Nyareti, Omenowa 

JANKA HARDNESS:

3220

DIMENSIONAL STABILITY:

Information currently unavailable

RELATIVE ABUNDANCE:

Information currently unavailable

INTERESTING FACTS: 

Not all species of wood floats in water. In order to sink in water the specific gravity of the wood must be 1.00 or more. Ebony has an average specific gravity of 1.03 and therefore will not float in water.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: 

When freshly cut, the sapwood of African ebony is pink colored, but darkens to a pale red brown; whereas the heartwood shows a uniform jet-black or black-brown color, sometimes with streaks. Ebony has a very fine texture, with the grain ranging from straight to slightly interlocked, or even moderately curly. The luster of this wood may have an almost metallic appearance.

MAIN USES: 

Besides being used in hardwood flooring and inlaid work, ebony can be found in piano keys and other musical instruments, cutlery and tool handles, decorative carvings, and turnery

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:

An attractive and popular wood with many decorative uses, ebony is notably hard, heavy, and strong, and also very resistant to termite attack.

WORKING PROPERTIES:

This highly durable wood is difficult to work with either machine or hand tools, due to its relative hardness; and, as any contractor or builder can tell you, it has a pronounced dulling effect on tool edges. It usually requires pre-drilling to nail or screw. However, it finishes to a naturally dark and polished surface. Note that prolonged exposure to ebony sawdust may cause dermatitis.