Content of the article:
Ebony - plants growing in the tropics belonging to the genus Persimmon, having black( in some regions black with stripes) core. Area of distribution: tropical forests of Africa, islands of the Indian Ocean, some parts of Ceylon and India, southeast and southern zones of Asia. Wood sinks in water. Other names of the plant: "tree of music", black, "zebra", mpingo. Since ancient times, mankind has used the bark, foliage and wood of this plant, considering it to be magical.
Read also the article: practical tips for wood carving!
Grades
Under ebony they mean several species. Among the most popular are:
- Cameroon eben is mined in Africa and is most often found on sale. The wood is mostly painted black, and some specimens have gray streaks. A distinctive feature of such material is the presence of open pores.
- Ceylon Eben from this region of the highest quality. Therefore, to get it is problematic. Among the main properties of the ebony wood, they are distinguished: high hardness, perfectly processed, the best effect is achieved during polishing, when closely examined there are practically no visible pores, wood is resistant to water and termites.
- Makassar Eben is mined in Indonesia. Otherwise, it is called color eben due to the sapwood of yellowish-white color and interesting color of the core itself. It is black with an intricate pattern of stripes of light yellow and brown. According to the properties of such wood is very resistant, dense.
- Madagascar Eben. The wood is dark brown in color, quite dense, resistant to termites and water, with close examination small pores are visible.
- Munich eben is obtained in Vietnam and Laos. The properties of the wood is similar to the Madagascar variety.
Advantages and application of
The value of wood in its color( all beauty can be assessed by a photo of ebony wood) and resistance to various external influences. It is noteworthy that even insects do not harm the tree. The wood is quickly polished and after this procedure it acquires a metallic luster and becomes cold to the touch.
Musical instruments( flutes, oboes, clarinets, piano keys) are made of eben thanks to their dense structure and resistance to moisture. Of particular value is wood for guitars. Some parts of this tool are made of it. So, the neck carries the center of gravity of the guitar and does not wear out very much, and the polished shell does not emit when playing other sounds, when the mediator slips off the strings.
Chess( black pieces), knife handles, various exclusive souvenirs are made of eben. Of course, their cost is far from low.
The tree became very popular in the furniture industry. In the 17th century, masters appreciated it and used it in inlaying and veneering.
At the beginning of the 19th century. Egyptian, Roman, and Greek culture became fashionable, which led to the production and distribution of curule chairs. Products were very durable, but at the same time elegant and externally seemed weightless.
Since, as in the situation with the ebony, Eben is often faked, it is important to know how to identify a truly valuable breed.
Authentication is fairly easy to determine. To do this, you need to take the object in hand and assess its severity. A real ebony product even with a small size will be heavy.
The nuances of working with wood
The processing and preparation of eben for further work is a laborious process, since the tree is very difficult to dry, cut and saw.
Pre-drying is used during harvesting. To do this, two years before the saw cut itself of the tree on the trunk make circular notches. Thanks to them, the plant stops growing. So that the sawn wood does not dry out too quickly, it is sheltered from drafts and sunlight. Additionally, the ends are treated with a special material. Until the moment of working with eben( for example, cutting sculptures), the tree should dry for about 2-3 years.
When working with it you need to use very sharp and durable tools that do not allow the wood to crack or crack. As for the properties, the array is practically not wetted with liquid solutions. Nevertheless, the wood is well polished and the product can be given a mirror shine. Another excellent quality of the wood of many varieties of eben is that it bends after hot steaming. In addition, you can add that the tree is very beautiful, has unique qualities, and therefore does not need antiseptic treatment or pickling at all.
When working with eben, you need to wear protective equipment, because ebony dust is very irritating to the lungs, skin and eyes.
Ebony is not found in mass consumption, because it is very valuable and accessible only to the wealthy population. Therefore, if the market claims that before you a product of eben, then you are trying to foist a fake, or the product is made of their cheap breeds. Take into account, to take out even a sculpture of raw wood is problematic, because it is on a special account of the state.
