Gaboon Ebony
Gaboon Ebony is the benchmark black wood — jet black, fine-grained, and polishes to a mirror sheen without finish. It's the material of piano black keys, fine clarinets, and high-end knife handles. The conservation situation is serious: it's IUCN Vulnerable to Endangered depending on the specific species, heavily poached, and the subject of significant illegal trade. If you buy it, insist on documented provenance and CITES paperwork. The checking problem during drying means you should buy only from suppliers who've already dried it successfully — green ebony almost always checks.
- Buying without CITES documentation — it is heavily poached and documentation is essential
- Buying freshly sawn material expecting to dry it yourself — checking is almost guaranteed
- Using power tools without dust protection — it's a significant allergen
Jet black heartwood — one of the only truly black woods in the world. The blackness is uniform and deep, with occasional faint grey streaking. Sapwood is pale cream and dramatically contrasting. Finishes to an almost mirror-like sheen without any added finish.
Extremely hard and brittle — dulls tools rapidly. Very fine grain finishes to a natural mirror sheen with just oil or wax, requiring minimal additional finishing. Highly prone to checking during drying; source only from reputable suppliers who have dried it properly. CITES II listed. Extremely valuable and heavily poached.
| Region | Availability |
|---|---|
| North America | Specialty importers only |
| Europe | Specialty importers only |
| South America | Rare / not commonly imported |
| Australia/NZ | Rare / not commonly imported |
| Asia | Specialty importers only |
| Africa | Specialty importers only |