Gabon Ebony Wood – Magical Properties or Just Beautiful?

The history of ebony wood often includes many references to its magical properties. Ebony wood has been used in goblet making for hundreds of years. Many thought that it would be an anecdote of the poisons that could exist inside. It was even used for the hilts of Samurai swords, to offer greater power to the wielder. Today it is an exotic wood for turners and yes, the occasional magician…

Some customers use the ebony wood from Gabon to make magic wands and have found a booming market with those who believe it helps concentrate their power. Others have created amulets to hang around their necks in the belief that it gives them an extra level of protection.

But most of us love wood as a feature strip in our woodworking crafts. Gabon ebony is the only member of the family that is generally pure black with occasional reddish-brown veining. It adds a dramatic touch when laminated with other woods and then turned to make bottle stoppers, napkin rings, knife handles, and various forms of jewelry.

I especially like it as an edge strip on all my small boxes. Create a wooden box from one piece and then route a small quarter inch square recess in all corners. Then gluing an ebony inlay into this notch gives the case corners amazing durability and a designer look.

The wood is so dense that your tools must be especially sharp, but then it is cut to perfection creating superfine dust particles. It’s for this reason that wearing a dust mask to protect your lungs is especially important, but it’s well worth the effort when you see the incredible shine that careful attention to finishing takes on.

You must take special precautions when laminating it with other lighter woods to avoid the transfer of a black film that can cloud the gloss of neighboring species. I have some suggestions on my website at thewoodbox.com.

I encourage you to add gabon ebony wood to your list of woods to try, even in small quantities for jewelry or boxes. It’s like no other and should be on every Woodies “to wear” list.