# African Blackwood?



## El Guapo (Dec 29, 2013)

I'm pretty sure this is African Blackwood and I didn't get lucky and end up with some kind of expensive ebony, but I wanted to get some opinions. This was covered in wax when I bought it, and the seller wasn't sure of the species.

Piece 1 of 2


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## El Guapo (Dec 29, 2013)

Piece 2 of 2


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## SENC (Dec 29, 2013)

Almost too light to be ABW, but it does look like a rosewood of some type (ABW is a rosewood). Good ABW is not cheap, so you did well if that is what it is. Pretty, though.


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## El Guapo (Dec 29, 2013)

It really looks a lot lighter in the pics than it does in hand. If someone can positively ID based on a sample, I'm happy to send a knife block. I have two pieces that are 1+ x 2 x 19".


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## duncsuss (Dec 29, 2013)

It looks very similar to the pieces of ABW that I've got; the darker bands vary in thickness and spacing the same way. I also have some Burmese black wood, which is a little different -- the darker stripes are more evenly spaced and more uniform thickness.

I'd be lying if I said that I can positively ID it, but based on those pix I'd be reasonably confident it's the same stuff. (There is always the question of whether the guy that I bought my supply from was correct when he called it ABW!)

(Oh -- and if you want to get rid of some of it, I'm interested.)


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## El Guapo (Dec 29, 2013)

Thanks, Duncan. I'll give you dibs when I get it posted (sometime this week most likely).

Reactions: Like 1


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## duncsuss (Dec 30, 2013)

A couple of snaps of one of my pieces -- not very polished, but it shows similarities.


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## BangleGuy (Dec 30, 2013)

I would guess it is Macassar Ebony... just as expensive as ABW at around $90/BF. ABW has a pretty distinct smell when you machine it, so if you have some you can compare wood shaving scent.


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## Shagee415 (Dec 30, 2013)

I agree with bangle guy it looks like Macassar ebony. I've turned several duck calls out of some.


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## ripjack13 (Dec 30, 2013)

What you have there is very toxic alien wood. I am trained in the removal of these kinds of problematic toxic junk wood. Send it to me for disposal and you'll be doing the wood world a good deed.
:)

Reactions: Like 5


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## Fret440 (Dec 30, 2013)

Sand a little on the end. If it smells 'peppery' then it's probably ebony. If you try to saw a little off, and it gums up in the saw kerf, it's more likely ABW. Both are really hard. I find ABW much harder to saw and forget about planing it unless you have a toothed blade to get you close to thickness.

Fwiw,
Jacob

Reactions: Like 1


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## Blueglass (Dec 30, 2013)

ABW smells SO good! Feels liks sawing aluminum when hand sawing.


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## DKMD (Dec 30, 2013)

Seems a bit too porous to be ABW, but I'm no expert. As suggested, a little sanding and a smell test should tell you ebony versus rosewood


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## BrentWin (Dec 30, 2013)

My vote goes for Madagascar ebony as well. If it's ABW you will get a chocolaty smell when you work it.


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## El Guapo (Dec 30, 2013)

I was wearing a respirator when I was in the shop last night, so I didn't get to observe any smell. I'll take Doc's advice and sand a little to try a smell test. Will all ebony pretty much have the same smell when sanded? I have some pen blanks that I know to be gaboon ebony.


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## DKMD (Dec 30, 2013)

I don't know about the smell of different ebony species, but ABW has a floral smell like other rosewoods. Interesting that Brent smells chocolate... I love chocolate!

Reactions: Like 2


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## Fret440 (Dec 30, 2013)

DKMD said:


> I don't know about the smell of different ebony species, but ABW has a floral smell like other rosewoods. Interesting that Brent smells chocolate... I love chocolate!



Yes, and if you sniff too much it will give you a splitting headache for about three days.

Jacob


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## ripjack13 (Dec 30, 2013)

Sniffing wood....is that what you crazy kids do these day to get high? I now see why woodworking is so addictive....

:)

Reactions: Like 4


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## phinds (Dec 30, 2013)

Doesn't look like African blackwood to me, but it could be. To me it looks more like one of those really dark rosewoods that are sold as Honduras rosewood (which is normally MUCH lighter) or madagascar rosewood.

If you can really clean up the end grain (WAY better that what you have in the pics) then you can compare it to the end grain pics on my site and see what you think.


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## Blueglass (Dec 30, 2013)

Fret440 said:


> Yes, and if you sniff too much it will give you a splitting headache for about three days.
> 
> Jacob




Never had that and I'm pretty susepttible to head aches. I really enjoyed working with ABW. THe floral smell was great.


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## El Guapo (Dec 30, 2013)

After doing some more research, I really think that the first piece is Macassar Ebony and the second piece is ABW. I've compared a lot of pictures online of both face grain and end grain as well as measured the densities of each piece.


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