Gaboon Ebony

PHOTO
DESCRIPTION	A very dense, very hard wood with straight to slightly interlocked grain. Very fine textured. Gaboon ebony is believed to be the blackest wood that grows. Weight is about 63-64 lbs. per cu. ft.
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN	African (West African)
BOTANICAL NAME	Diospyrus Crassiflora
OTHER NAMES	Cameroon Ebony, Nigerian Ebony, etc., according to country of origin.
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES	This very dense timber has a good steam bending classification and very high bending and crushing strength, with high stiffness and resistance to shock loads.
WORKING PROPERTIES	This is a very hard wood to work with hand or power tools, with severe blunting effect on cutters. When planing, a reduced angle of 20 degrees is required whenever irregular grain is present, with an increase in in pressure bar and shoe pressures advised to prevent the wood from riding or chattering on cutters. Pre-boring is necessary for nailing and screwing. Takes glue well, and it can be polished to an excellent finish.
DURABILITY	Very durable. Highly resistant to termites. Extremely resistant to preservative treatment.
SEASONING	Billets dry fairly rapidly and well with little degradation. Small movement in service.
USES	Tool, cutlery and knife handles, door knobs, butt ends of billiard cues, piano and organ keys, violin and guitar finger boards, other musical instrument pieces, turning, fancy articles and inlay.
COMMENTS	Sometimes incorrectly referred to as Macassar Ebony (a different botanical species).