African Blackwood Pen Blank

African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon) is one of the most prized and dense hardwoods in the world — long regarded as the finest tonewood for woodwind instruments, it brings that same exceptional quality to the pen turning bench. Deep, near-black in colour with subtle dark brown streaking, it turns to an extraordinarily smooth, glass-like finish that needs little more than a buff to shine.

Wood Characteristics

• Species: African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon)
• Origin: East and Southern Africa
• Colour: Very dark brown to near-black with subtle dark streaking
• Grain: Fine and straight to slightly interlocked — extremely dense
• Hardness: Very hard — one of the densest commercial timbers available
• Finish: Polishes to a near-mirror finish; takes oils and waxes beautifully
• Workability: Turns well with sharp tools; its density rewards patience and produces stunning results

Supplied

• Size: Approx 20 × 20 × 150mm
• Quantity: 1 pen blank
• Supplied dried and ready to turn
• Natural wood — colour and figuring will vary between blanks