# *** Ebony Wood ***



## tgraytn (Nov 24, 2009)

I made a couple of European pens using black ebony wood about a year ago.  They have remained in a curio cabinet the entire time.  However, I just noticed that they BOTH have a crack in the barrel end.  Has anyone else had any problems with this?  Also, I must add that at that time I was unaware of using CA as a finish.  Those were both finished using the Hut varnish.  If I use several coats of CA, will this prevent it from cracking?  Thanks!


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## NewLondon88 (Nov 24, 2009)

I don't think it would stop it from cracking. Ebony is pretty vulnerable to changes in
temp and humidity. It is notorious for cracking.


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## tgraytn (Nov 24, 2009)

I was afraid of that answer... I have often heard the same thing...  Thanks!


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## tseger (Nov 24, 2009)

In my opinion, there are two kinds of ebony... ebony that IS cracked, and ebony that WILL BE cracked.


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## KenV (Nov 25, 2009)

But ebony pens can be restored with some care to become durable writing instruments.  If you want to avoid the risk of the checks that come (in my opinion) from slow stress relief, go to blackwood.   As with snakewood, the options are to restore it or avoid it.   I like the restoration approach personally.

You get to upgrade finishes when you restore also --


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## bradh (Nov 25, 2009)

tseger said:


> In my opinion, there are two kinds of ebony... ebony that IS cracked, and ebony that WILL BE cracked.



+1!
   Try African Blackwood as an alternative.


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## Chief Hill (Nov 25, 2009)

I am reading way to many things here on issues with Ebony wood.  I will never use it again as I am really not too comfortable with a customer calling me complaining about a cracked pen.


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## Jgrden (Nov 25, 2009)

Heh,heh, I found out the hard way. 
Ebony cracks. It does not do it when you are watching or finishing. It waits until the day before a show and then cracks. Sometimes it cracks as you pick up the pen and show it to a potential buyer.


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## BRobbins629 (Nov 25, 2009)

Cracks in ebony and other crack sensitive materials such as snakewood and ivory can be prevented.  I have said several times before that you don't see ebony cracking in other applications such as instrument keyboards or just sitting around in thin sections.  It mostly cracks because of the stress induced when the fittings are pressed into the tubes.  Sand/file down the fittings until they just slip into the tube and glue them in and the cracks will not happen.  If you want to prove this, make 2 sets of tubes.  Leave one sitting and press the fittings into the other.  Guess which will crack.


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## galoot_loves_tools (Jan 5, 2010)

BRobbins629 said:


> Cracks in ebony and other crack sensitive materials such as snakewood and ivory can be prevented.  I have said several times before that you don't see ebony cracking in other applications such as instrument keyboards or just sitting around in thin sections.  It mostly cracks because of the stress induced when the fittings are pressed into the tubes.  Sand/file down the fittings until they just slip into the tube and glue them in and the cracks will not happen.  If you want to prove this, make 2 sets of tubes.  Leave one sitting and press the fittings into the other.  Guess which will crack.



It cracks in pens because the wood is very brittle and it does not tolerate the expansion of the brass tube that is has been glued to. If left as a solid article, such as a finial, it likely won't crack.


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## Ligget (Jan 5, 2010)

I had a couple of ebony pens crack, this was after a few months but luckily they were in a pen display at my house not a customers! I don`t use ebony anymore but favour blackwood instead, lot less to worry over!


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## geovtx (Jan 6, 2010)

I haven't used ebony in quite awhile but 2 years ago I made a Euro set pen, pencil, letter opener and magnifying glass along with a couple of slims and Wall St II's finished with friction polish and a couple of waxes.  None have cracked (yet).  I got a couple of nice Ebony chunks left and was going to do a Kaliedescope egg;  not so sure anymore.


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## Ron in Drums PA (Jan 9, 2010)

The problem most people have with ebony is that it has never been kiln dried.  It's cut overseas, waxed and shipped to the States green. Then it is delivered to the customer still green.

We are all familiar with the old saying. Air dying wood takes 1 year per inch. Ebony is so dense that it can take years for 1 inch to dry. We recently cut an ebony billet that we know to be sitting for 18 years. It was 3" thick and the center still measured 26% MC.

The reason ebony cracks on a pen barrel is the wood has been turned thin enough for the wood to dry and the wood cells finally collapses and shrinks.

Kiln drying ebony is very difficult and near impossible in a conventional kiln. The heat needed to get ebony to dry is too high, causing it to crack in the kiln

To solve this problem we use a very large vacuum kiln. Remember your old high science class? Water boils at a lower temperature in a vacuum. 

In our kiln, with temperatures of 140°, the water starts to steam out of the wood, the cells collapse, and we end up with very stable ebony.







Case in point, quality made violins, cellos, bass fiddles and guitars use ebony fingerboards. There is no finish applied to the fingerboards and you will never see a cracked fingerboard on a properly cared for instrument. Why? because the ebony has been kiln dried to 6% to 8% MC.


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## fernhills (Jan 9, 2010)

OK, so how does one acquire kiln dried Ebony as you describe ? Not every one has a very large vacuum kiln.   Carl


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## Ron in Drums PA (Jan 9, 2010)

fernhills said:


> OK, so how does one acquire kiln dried Ebony as you describe ? Not every one has a very large vacuum kiln.   Carl



PM me and tell me what you need.


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## Gulfcoast (Jan 9, 2010)

--- dried Gabon Ebony can be obtained  from Bell Forest Products ---

http://www.bellforestproducts.com/

--- on the left side of the page that opens is a listing of the woods available --

--- click on Gabon Ebony, a page comes up with the sizes, prices and whether it is dried or not (ie: 3/4 X 3/4 X 6  dried  $2.25 ea)

Joe


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