Macassar Ebony (Diospyros celebica) is renowned for its distinctive streaking pattern, which consists of black heartwood — often with reddish to dark brown streaks — contrasting sharply with creamy to light reddish sapwood. The eye-catching appearance of Macassar Ebony has long captured the imagination of wood carvers and woodturners, as well as luthiers, fine furniture makers, pool-cue makers, and a host of other specialized woodworkers.

Macassar Ebony Awl Handle
by Bob Z. of Georgia

Macassar Ebony Guitar

Macassar Ebony is native to India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. The logs are typically squared off into cants while still in the forest or jungle and then hauled out either by hand or via ox-drawn carts. The trees are generally small, attaining heights of about 50 feet, with trunk diameters up to about 18 inches.

Strong, heavy, and hard, Macassar Ebony has an average specific gravity of about 1.09, which means that it actually sinks in water. The wood is somewhat difficult to work with, although it turns well. Despite its hardness, Macassar Ebony can also be fairly brittle — its grain is susceptible to tear out, and its edges can occasionally splinter off. Because the wood can blunt cutting edges pretty quickly, frequently sharpened tools and a gentle cut are generally recommended.

Macassar Ebony is tough to sand by hand, but does respond well to power sanding. It should be sanded carefully, though, to avoid heat checking. Also, good dust extraction is essential, as the wood tends to produce a lot of dust when being cut or sanded. Macassar Ebony finishes particularly well.
 

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