African Blackwood

H

hammerface

Member
I have about a dozen pieces of handle sized African Blackwood and I'm just wondering if anybody knows how it is to work with. I know stuff like cocobolo you have to take some pretty major safety precautions with. Aside from the typical eye wear and dust mask is there any other concerns with this stuff???
 
I hope there's nothing too major with it... I just used some on a folder :x

One thing to watch out for: It clogged my saw blades (band saw and coping saw) and clogged my fresh 60 grit belts.
 
Most people aren't allergic to it. It will seem to stain your hands as the dust can get really fine. It also splits easily so make any have plenty of clearance. On the upside it buffs up really nice. It doesn't need to have any oil or finish but if you put a little tung oil on it, let it dry and then buff it is amazing stuff.
 
I know that the stains from the saw dust never came out of my T-shirt. It's really a great wood but a lot of people don't like it because it doesn't have a lot of fancy grain. It is supper oily; when I burned a tang into a handle on one of my third knife the heat drove the oils up through the wood. It doesn't need anything to seal it. It's so oily I don't know if you could. Absolutely does not need to be stabilized. I finish it just keep sanding with increasingly finer sand paper until I got the smoothness that I wanted and then buffed it. It came out looking like a shiney plastic handle with nothing applied to it.

Doug Lester
 
great stuff!!! I use it as both my ebony and micarta "substitute" It is a meber of the rosewood family, so it works rather easily, is not brittle like some ebony and finishes very nicely. If you have some that is almost black wood and you want that REALLY dark color, just hit it with a couple of coats of boiled linseed oil and it will darken up over a day or two.
 
Thanks for the tip Joe. I searched through about a gazillian pieces at blade trying to find the pure blackest piece I could find, LOL.

-Josh
 
Be careful the first time you use it. The dust is what'll get ya if you're allergic to it. You will develope a nasty rash around watch band,cuffs,collar,hat band,etc...

My father's allergic to it. I've used it a few times but it has'nt bothered me yet. But, I only work it by hand to reduce and controll the dust.[no belt sanding]

......and I love the smell of it..........;)
 
Thanks for all the great feedback guys!

Yeah, it is really oily. I thought it was coated with something when I bought it; I didn't realize it was like that naturally. :)
 
African Blackwood is my favorite exotic wood for knife handles. Its easy to work and finish, carves and textures better than most woods, and does not check or crack like ebony. Its also one of the most durable woods for "user" knives, repelling stains, and retaining its appearance/sheen better than many other woods used for knife handles. And as has been mentioned....no finish required.
 
Doug Lester said:
I know that the stains from the saw dust never came out of my T-shirt. It's really a great wood but a lot of people don't like it because it doesn't have a lot of fancy grain. It is supper oily; when I burned a tang into a handle on one of my third knife the heat drove the oils up through the wood. It doesn't need anything to seal it. It's so oily I don't know if you could. Absolutely does not need to be stabilized. I finish it just keep sanding with increasingly finer sand paper until I got the smoothness that I wanted and then buffed it. It came out looking like a shiney plastic handle with nothing applied to it.

Doug Lester
Click to expand...

Doug,
Now you know why I wear black in the shop.
 
Ya, Delbert, that's why I never wear good clothes around the shop. 'Course I never wear good clothes outside the shop either:rolleyes:.

Doug Lester
 
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