Black Wood

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goldentouch

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I have a customer that has requested a match pair of solid black pens. I showed her ebony and African Blackwood but it still showed some streaks and she wants solid black. I though of using hard maple and trying to dye it. Does anyone have an idea I can use.
 
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You can get solid back Ebony. Don't know about African Blackwood. You just have to be prepared to pay for it. Usually you will see solid black Ebony identified as "instrument wood". Violin parts like pegs and tail pieces are made of it, hence the name. Just keep looking an you'll find some. You may have to buy a chunk of it and cut the blanks yourself. Or, contact our many suppliers and just tell them what your needs are. In fact I'll look at my Ebony stash and see if I have two solid black blanks, I just may. Check back here later today if you wish.
 

wayneis

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Eddie you would be better using one of the maoles and dying it as ebony cracks really really bad. I have some beautiful pure black but won't use it for a complete pen because of it. Another thing to think about would be some of the acrylics, there are solid blacks in that and also the bowling ball blanks.

Wayne
 

dmadis

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Walnut turns a deep black with the vinegar and steel wool solution. Some other woods do also, but you have to test them to see how dark they get.
 

Tom McMillan

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I'm looking to replace the Ebony I've used with the black steelwood from Arizona Silhouette---Bill says it's a dead ringer for Ebony and others seem to feel that way also---not sure if that'll work for you, but you might check it out.
 

Fred in NC

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Ebony tends to crack. African Blackwood is much better for pens, and the one I have used had some very dark brown streaks that could be only seen in the sunlight.

Black steelwood is a good alternative too.
 

smoky10

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I have a couple of pens made of solid black ebony and people that look at them say they look too much like plastic. They have a high gloss and show no grain. I should have used plastic.
 

goldentouch

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Thanks for the suggestions. I looked at the Black Steelwood and I am going to place an order tonight with Bill so I will get a couple of these blanks and I ordered a couple of black acrylic blanks from Berea today. I will turn them down and let her look and feel before assembly. I also have some hard maple and might just dye a piece after it is turned to see how it compares. Oh, Well the customer is always right they say.
 

elody21

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I know there are problems with ebony but if you want some that is very black, try woodcraft. I have in the past found some very black ebony there.
 

Rifleman1776

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Walnut would be a better choice for dying than maple. Analine dyes will work for you. The other choices mentioned, like African Blackwood would also blacken with black analine. But the AB is so oily I'm not sure which would work better of the analines, water based or alcohol based. The vinegar thing just doesn't work satisfactorily for me. [xx(] I think the results vary greatly from one hunk of wood to another, even of same species. Let us know how the steelwood works out.





Originally posted by goldentouch
<br />Thanks for the suggestions. I looked at the Black Steelwood and I am going to place an order tonight with Bill so I will get a couple of these blanks and I ordered a couple of black acrylic blanks from Berea today. I will turn them down and let her look and feel before assembly. I also have some hard maple and might just dye a piece after it is turned to see how it compares. Oh, Well the customer is always right they say.
 

penhead

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Originally posted by Gary Max
<br />You gots to remember I is froms Kentucky.
Shoe Polish

WoW...not only do they import shoes back there these days, but now you tellin' me you get polish, too..![:D]

...sorry Gary, couldn't resist, I grew up across the border in WVa on a side of a hill myself [:)]
 

TheHeretic

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I have some African Blackwood that unless you put it under some very high intensity lighting you will not see streaks in it at all.

I think you may just need to look at whats out there and be very very particular. It wont be easy but as someone else also pointed out you can look for the luthier grade of ebony. I believe it will have to be Gaboon Ebony which as I remember from another forum is in very short supply due to troubles in Africa as well as a bit of over harvesting.

I guess you could also consider dying blackwood as well. Dont know how it takes dye or stain though. Might be worth a bit of investigation.

Dean
Columbus OH
 

ctEaglesc

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Once you turn AB you will never use ebony again.
You can get pure black in instrument grades.
It is extreemly hard and much easier to work with.
As for durability, I did a search on it a long time ago and learned it is used also for piccolos(Ther are a little larger than a pen)
If your customer doesn't want a plastic pen(like a Mont Blanc)you cna make him/her a designer out of AB and it will take a good eye to distiquish the difference between the two.
The dfferrence being they will have a pen made of wood rather than a $300. staus symbol.
Prepare them up front for the cost.
 

Rifleman1776

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Dean said "is in very short supply due to troubles in Africa as well as a bit of over harvesting." A few months ago I did some internet searches looking for larger turning blanks of ebony. It seems most of the quality stuff comes from South Africa where the political situation is fairly stable and there appears to be good quantities of it available. What I asked them to bid on was several hundred pounds of 2'X2"X24". The price quoted was acceptable to me. But, then they would only air freight it to St. Louis and that cost more than doubled the price, plus it would be a days round-trip drive to pick up. And it would be shipped freshly cut, green and wet, completely sealed in parafin. Since ebony has a reputation for almost never drying and continuing to crack, plus the shipping cost, I don't know how anyone can make a proift selling the stuff. Plus the very long wait before it is usable. Also, there is no guarantee as to what it will look like. You buy it and it is heavily streaked in brown, buyer is stuck. I'm looking at a project where I will be making about a dozen large items and want them ebony black. But I don't like problems. I believe I will be using walnut and 'ebonizing' it with alcohol based black analine dye. Less expensive, more predictable and results (hopefully) beautiful.
 
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