Gaboon Ebony
Diospyros crassiflora • Exotic/Tropical
Grain Pattern
Usually straight or slightly interlocked grain with a very fine, even texture and high natural luster.
Color Description
Heartwood is usually jet-black, with little to no discernible grain. Occasionally features dark brown or gray streaks. Sapwood is pale yellow and clearly demarcated.
Hardness Rating
3,080 lbf (Extremely Hard)
Durability Rating
Very Durable; heartwood is highly resistant to termite attack and rot, though sapwood is susceptible to powder-post beetles.
Common Uses
Piano keys, musical instrument parts (fingerboards, pegs), pool cues, carvings, knife handles, and fine inlay.
Geographic Origin
Equatorial West Africa (Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Congo, Nigeria).
Market Value & Sustainability
Estimated Market Value
$75.00 - $120.00 per board foot; often sold by weight or small turning blanks due to high cost.
Wood Age Estimate
Sample appears to be a modern offcut, likely harvested within the last 5-10 years based on clean mechanical cuts and lack of oxidation on the sapwood.
Sustainability Status
Listed on CITES Appendix II and classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List due to over-exploitation.
Workability
Difficult to work due to extreme density; has a significant dulling effect on cutters. Hard to glue due to high natural oils. Takes a very high polish.
Notable Features
Extremely heavy (sinks in water), metallic clink when struck, faint medicinal odor when worked, and high oil content.
Finish Recommendations
Best finished with wax or light oils. Does not require heavy film finishes because it polishes to a naturally high gloss.
Identification Confidence
High; the characteristic jet-black heartwood transitioning sharply into pale yellowish sapwood in a dense, fine-pored structure is diagnostic for African Ebony.