# Think this is ebony?



## kazuma78 (Feb 15, 2015)

This came straight from around manda bay, kenya. I believe it is ebony but am not an expert. Pictures have end grain sanded to 220 and some pictures show the piece from the side where I cut through the sapwood. It's pretty heavy and dense. In the 2nd picture it's wetted


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Feb 15, 2015)

Ebony or ABW would be my guess


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## phinds (Feb 15, 2015)

I'm with Greg ... could be either one, and I hope you realize that "ebony" is not a terribly meaningful designation since there are numerous ebonies. I assume you are most likely talking about Gaboon ebony.

I don't know how many different ebonies grow in Kenya, but that does narrow the field.


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## kazuma78 (Feb 15, 2015)

I'll have to read about some of the species there. They said they could get me a 2 ft length about 5-6 inches in diameter for $30 and it sounded reasonable to me. I was hoping it's Gaboon but I have no idea.


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## kazuma78 (Feb 15, 2015)

Maybe I'll cut this piece up and see what the face grain looks like


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## phinds (Feb 15, 2015)

kazuma78 said:


> I'll have to read about some of the species there. They said they could get me a 2 ft length about 5-6 inches in diameter for $30 and it sounded reasonable to me. I was hoping it's Gaboon but I have no idea.


That's a good price if it's in reasonable condition. Heart check is a real problem though so buyer beware if you're getting it in log/branch form rather than planks.


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## kazuma78 (Feb 15, 2015)

I think they are just gonna go cut it for me, so if I have my guy there tell them to paint the ends until I can get it I can anchor seal it here after I try and saw it up.


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## Kevin (Feb 15, 2015)

I have had fairly large chunks of gabon and mun ebony before - the mun was a 5" cube and they both were solid as rocks when I got them, but even sealed with thick wax they eventually cracked like crazy in the first Texas summer. I ended up resawing the mun cube into pen blanks. You can cast them once dry but if you get any nice solid stuff that's still even a little green I would resaw the stuff immediately into the smallest usable pieces for your purpose to lessen the drying defects.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Mr. Peet (Apr 14, 2015)

I wood go with simply Ebony. African Blackwood has an almost white sapwood while several ebonies have off white to yellowish even an orange hue to their sapwood. The reason I say simply ebony is that several of the Ebonies are protected and even band from harvest. Wear your gloves when playing with fire.


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## GeauxGameCalls (Apr 15, 2015)

I have an African blackwood log I can post a picture to compare of. I'm pretty sure it's Gabon because the bark is completly different of the ABW


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## kazuma78 (Apr 15, 2015)

GeauxGameCalls said:


> I have an African blackwood log I can post a picture to compare of. I'm pretty sure it's Gabon because the bark is completly different of the ABW


 I wouldnt mind seeing your piece just for comparison if nothing else

Reactions: Like 1


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## GeauxGameCalls (Apr 15, 2015)

I'll get a pic after school if I can get threw the monsoon we have outside. The past two days we had 6" on rain.


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## Damienw (Apr 21, 2015)

Maybe try rubbing some methylated spirits/denatured alcohol on the heartwood with a tissue or something?

All the blackwood i've ever come across has leaked huge amounts of dark purple blackish oil onto alcohol soaked rags when i've tried it where as ebony in my experience has generally been pretty oil/stain free when exposed to alcohol.

Reactions: Informative 1 | Useful 1


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## kazuma78 (Apr 21, 2015)

Thanks. I'll give it a try


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## Steve Smith (May 5, 2015)

Mr. Peet said:


> I wood go with simply Ebony. African Blackwood has an almost white sapwood while several ebonies have off white to yellowish even an orange hue to their sapwood.


 
ABW sapwood varies significantly in color, but I have never seen any with white sapwood. most common is a straw color light tan, but I have had a number of squares where the sapwood was similar to a lighter hue of yellowheart. It also varies to a light brown. Most unusual is the coloration I got from my 864 burl log where the sapwood was a mix of gray and straw. DamienW had a picture of some veneer I sent him some months back showing this.

@kazuma78
Can't say it isn't Gaboon, but it seems more porous end grain than I have seen on GE. I've been processing a 120 lb log of GE and the grain is significantly tighter than the picture shown. I suspect that Paul's site would be the best guide to determining what it is. Also looks like you are going to have a fair amount of gray streaking in those pieces. Might look pretty cool, but i have heard that even that can oxidize to a black color upon exposure.


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