Have a blank for a WA handle, about 18 months drying.
Does it need to be stabilized or is it considered a natural hardwood?
Does it need to be stabilized or is it considered a natural hardwood?
Malaysian blackwood is a nickname for a variety of true ebony or Asian ebony. Most of the ebony's and rosewood's too, are very dense and hard. You shouldn't need to stabilize them, unless they have burls and defects you are trying to deal with.
That said - ebony's have a reputation for being really finicky while they dry. They'll check and crack if you're not careful....and even then, they'll torture you with more of the same.
The loose rule of thumb I've heard is it's about a year of drying time per inch of thickness with the end grain waxed.
Once dry, they are stabile. At 18 months, if you have no checks or cracks, you're probably good to go on a small piece. If you haven't worked with ebony's before -- be warned: they are tough on tools and being so dense, don't always glue easily either.
CPD,
Thanks - this is great feedback and puts me at ease somewhat... It's a super clean piece and it has been in wax for the last 4 months. very SHARP tools is the key.
Now come the decision of what to pair it with... it's like naming a child...?
Tooth would be too busy..
Horn, yes this could be.. maybe.
Also thinking of sandwich between all black blackwood cap and ferrule with nickel spacers... And put onto a Suji Kitaeji yanagiba. Hard to picture...
huh?? mammoth ivory(natural white color spacer) is too busy?? I guess you prefer metal spacer more..... I'm little too old for shiny spacer:joec: Happy custom your yanagiba handle!!
I like the idea of matching one of the colors in the Malaysian Blackwood and a thin metal spacer. My taste would matching it up with the African Blackwood like you mentioned and copper spacers. Maybe even a piece of hammered copper on the front of the ferrule like Butch does.Also thinking of sandwich between all black blackwood cap and ferrule with nickel spacers...
I like the idea of matching one of the colors in the Malaysian Blackwood and a thin metal spacer. My taste would matching it up with the African Blackwood like you mentioned and copper spacers. Maybe even a piece of hammered copper on the front of the ferrule like Butch does.
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