African Blackwood vs Ebony

Double Ott said:
Ed, Will the black Min-Wax cover the brown in the ebony handles when you do this? If yes, how long does it last? Does it wear off? I would prefer to have almost jet black handles for my ebony. I just got my first african blackwood handles #81 and I really like it.

Thanks tom
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Yes, it covers/stains the brown streaks and is permanent. Once stained, the covers take on an overall, even, black, hue. The can of stain I have is several years old but I'd imagine it is the same as a new can off the shelf. It has to be rubbed in.

Sorry it took so long to reply. I didn't see your post until this evening.
 
I would love to know the species used on the Northwoods ebony Indian River jack that I have:

indianriver.jpg


The photo shows the grain, but not the wonderful translucent quality it has.
 
Modoc ED said:
Yes, it covers/stains the brown streaks and is permanent. Once stained, the covers take on an overall, even, black, hue. The can of stain I have is several years old but I'd imagine it is the same as a new can off the shelf. It has to be rubbed in.

Sorry it took so long to reply. I didn't see your post until this evening.
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I just happened on your kind reply...Thank you. It is just what I wanted to hear. This has been a great thread, my thanks to all who have contributed.

Tom
 
zippofan said:
I would love to know the species used on the Northwoods ebony Indian River jack that I have:

indianriver.jpg


The photo shows the grain, but not the wonderful translucent quality it has.
Click to expand...

My Indian River Jack's scales are almost pitch black with minimal grain. Probably one of the most "ancient looking" ebonies I got recently. Decades ago, my father brought back from Africa a small ebony sculpture (poor sculpture but very massive wood with an incredibly dense grain : the shine is almost metallic). I plan on stealing it to rehandle some knives that deserve it....
 
+1 on this, I have the same knife! It has black with shades of gray rather than chocolate like my other ebonies.

zippofan said:
I would love to know the species used on the Northwoods ebony Indian River jack that I have:

The photo shows the grain, but not the wonderful translucent quality it has.
Click to expand...

~Jim
 
If it is black with gray highlights instead of chocolate/brown, it is most likely gabon ebony. Macassar will have black with chocolate/brown streaks, or black/dark brown with light brown streaks.
 
Love this thread.
I have several GEC's in ebony/BW (73,15 TC,66 HJ,+48 IT) and all have arrived as black as coal.
By far my favorite cover material.
 
Lately, I've begun to like the light Macassar Ebony covers with mostly brown and some black streaking in the grain more so than the darker variants. I might have to pick up one of those #15 Electricians Knives. Loving the lanyard hole and the lighter colored ebony wood.
 
This thread has inspired me to pick up another SFO #85 EO linerlock in African Blackwood. The black is nice and even on this one. I love the shininess and slick feel you get with the ABW.

10844212585_dafe58ebe8_c.jpg
 
I have three different ebonies/blackwood in front of me....Macasar and Madagascar ebony and blackwood. The Macasar is striped black and brown. The Madagascar is jet black with no hint of brown and very fine grained. The blackwood is black with hints of brown and also fine grained. Old English ebony hafted knives seem to fit the bill of Madagascar rather than those ebonies or blackwood streaked with brown. Just my .02.

John Lloyd
 
i could see how ebony would be a handle material you might wanna "have in hand" before purchasing

same knife diffrent settings & lighting, i think maybe i used a 70-200mm f2.8 is ii on the camera for the bullnose pic

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79631_zps0e60e139.jpg
 
I would suggest that the colors of the various types of wood known collectively as "Ebony" in no way affect the properties of the wood as a handle material other than the asthetics thereof. Whether the Macassar Ebony has a few brown streaks or not, it will still be just as hard. The coal black African Blackwood will still be just as tight grained. Just sayin.....
 
rma100 said:
I would suggest that the colors of the various types of wood known collectively as "Ebony" in no way affect the properties of the wood as a handle material other than the asthetics thereof. Whether the Macassar Ebony has a few brown streaks or not, it will still be just as hard. The coal black African Blackwood will still be just as tight grained. Just sayin.....
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That's good to know. Not being anything close to an expert on woods, I've always just associated in my mind the legendary dense structure with the blackest ebonies. So it's not as if the brown streaks come from a more spongy part of the trunk.
 
rma100 said:
I would suggest that the colors of the various types of wood known collectively as "Ebony" in no way affect the properties of the wood as a handle material other than the asthetics thereof. Whether the Macassar Ebony has a few brown streaks or not, it will still be just as hard. The coal black African Blackwood will still be just as tight grained. Just sayin.....
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All depends on the growth rate. Variety within a range of woods has little to do with the tightness of the grain. Rate of growth means everything. What I find most remarkable is the quality of ebony used 100+/- years ago. Incredibly tight grained and pure black as black can be. This came from original old growth dense forest trees. Tight Grain = Slow Growing. Today's ebony is farmed, open, space, lots of water, lots of sun. Fast Growth = Big Xylem Cells; so wide rings, which means open grain.

The gaps in the rings provide for the streaking of various colors in the wood. The slower it grows the closer the rings are spaced hence less room for color variation. I can assure you that the blond streak running through a piece of ebony is not as hard as the black part.

It actually is a bit more than just aesthetics;)
 
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