African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon) is a rare and highly sought-after wood species native to Africa.
Economy of planting African Blackwood vs Européen trees
African Blackwood, or ‘mpingo’, once rooted in central and southern Africa, now graces numerous African landscapes with its presence. The African Blackwood, with its rich, purplish-brown heartwood, is a treasured resource for artisans and craftsmen alike.
Understanding black african wood goes beyond its looks. This black wood overview stresses the need for conservation and sustainable use. The slow growth of trees like African Blackwood, which takes 70 to 100 years to mature, shows why we must manage them carefully.
This article will explore the world of blackwood. We’ll look at the different types, their properties, and how they’re used in design today.
The term black wood refers to various tree species known for their dark colors. This introduction to black wood covers these woods, their unique traits, and their history. African Blackwood, known as Dalbergia melanoxylon, is one of the most famous. Black wood is loved for its deep color and strength.
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The tree is an important timber species in its native areas; it is used in the manufacture of musical instruments, sculptures vinyago in Swahili language and fine furniture.
The tree is an important timber species in its native areas; it is used in the manufacture of musical instruments,[3] sculptures vinyago in Swahili language and fine furniture.
African blackwood is a small tree, reaching 4-15 m tall, with grey bark and spiny shoots. The leaves are deciduous in the dry season, alternate, 6-22 cm long, pinnately compound, with 6-9 alternately arranged leaflets. The flowers are white and produced in dense clusters. The fruit is a pod 3-7 cm long, containing one to two seeds. The dense, lustrous wood ranges in colour from reddish to pure black.
Good quality "A" grade African blackwood commands high prices on the commercial timber market.
The timber is used mainly because of its machinability, density, dimensional stability, and moisture repellence. Those properties are particularly valued when used in woodwind instruments, principally clarinets, oboes, transverse flutes, piccolos, recorders, Highland pipes, and Northumbrian pipes.
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In fine woodworking, African Blackwood is valued for its unique properties, including its ability to hold fine detail, resistance to warping, and its deep, rich color that darkens over time. Its fine, even texture makes it easy to work with and produces a smooth, polished finish.
Properties of African Blackwood
The wood is incredibly dense and hard, with a Janka hardness rating of 3,670 lbf, making it one of the hardest woods in the world. African Blackwood is very hard and durable, with a density of 1.2 to 1.3 g/cm3.
Blackwood is highly valued for its unique properties. It’s known for its density and strength, making it a favorite among craftspeople and consumers.
Black wood is known for its high density and hardness. These qualities make it very durable. Its density, averaging 79 lbs/ft³, adds to its strength. This means it can resist wear and denting over time.
Blackwood is more durable than many other types of wood. It can handle warping, shrinking, and damage better. This makes it perfect for high-quality furniture and flooring.
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Often completely black, with little or no discernible grain. Occasionally slightly lighter, with a dark brown or purplish hue.
Heartwood is rated as very durable in regards to decay resistance, though only moderately resistant to insects/borers.
Very difficult to work with hand or machine tools, with an extreme blunting effect on cutters. African blackwood is most often used in turned objects, where it is considered to be among the very finest of all turning woods-capable of holding threads and other intricate details well.
Although severe reactions are quite uncommon, African blackwood has been reported as a sensitizer. Usually most common reactions simply include eye, skin, and respiratory irritation.
African blackwood is very expensive, on par with true ebonies such as Gaboon Ebony in the Diospyros genus.
To be considered the original ebony, African Blackwood was imported and used in Ancient Egypt thousands of years ago. Even the name “ebony” has an Egyptian derivation as “hbny”-which has been shown to refer to primarily to Dalbergia melanoxylon, rather than the species which are considered to be ebony today: such as those in the Diospyros genus.
African blackwood is considered to be among the hardest and densest of woods in the world; indeed, among some 285 species tested, (including Lignum Vitae), Gabriel Janka originally found African Blackwood to be the very hardest.
Its fine texture and deep color make it a top choice for turning.
Did you know that Black wood is incredibly strong, with a Janka hardness rating of about 1,010 pounds-force? Its strength and beauty make it a top pick for furniture and decor.
Close-up of African Blackwood grain, showcasing its fine texture and dark color.
Uses of African Blackwood
Blackwood is highly sought after for its unique properties and aesthetic appeal. It is used in furniture, flooring, and craftsmanship.
Black wood furniture is known for its modern look and rich texture. It’s not just functional but also a stunning piece of decor. The durability and density of this solid black make these items last longer.
Black wood flooring is a premium choice for its strength and luxurious look. It’s perfect for high-traffic areas, combining beauty with practicality.
African Blackwood is celebrated for making musical instruments. It’s dense, making it ideal for woodwind instruments like clarinets and oboes.
The Deering Banjo Company uses blackwood ("grenadilla") to construct the tone ring in its John Hartford-model banjo because it weighs less than brass or bronze tone rings, and that the wood "plays in" (improves in tone) with use.
Furniture makers from ancient Egypt on have valued this timber.
A story states that it has even been used as ballast in trading ships and that some enterprising Northumbrian pipe makers used old discarded blackwood ballast to great effect.
The German knife companies Wüsthof, Böker and J. A. Henckels use African Blackwood in some of their knives.
The skillful blending of aesthetics and functionality makes African Blackwood essential.
Black wood finishes make wood look better and last longer. You can use stains or paints to treat blackwood.
Black wood stain highlights the wood’s natural beauty and adds a bold look. To apply black wood stain, use a lint-free cloth or foam brush in the wood grain direction. This method helps the stain soak in well, making the finish last longer.
Black wood paint gives a strong, vibrant color. But, picking the right paint is key to keep the wood strong. Black paint usually needs two or more coats, which you should plan for. For projects that need both beauty and strength, stains and paints are great.
African Blackwood works well with many design styles. It can make a space look sleek and modern or cozy and rustic.
For a vintage or classic look, pair black wood with wood-patterned wallpaper. This mix brings a nostalgic feel with a modern twist.
African Blackwood is commonly used in making woodwind instruments like clarinets and oboes.
Sustainability and Conservation
African blackwood is listed on CITES appendix II under the genus-wide restriction on all Dalbergia species-which also includes finished products made of the wood.
Due to overuse, the mpingo tree is severely threatened in Kenya and is needing attention in Tanzania and Mozambique.
Conservation of mpingo and its natural habitat can be achieved by ensuring that local people living in mpingo harvesting areas receive a fair share of the revenue created, thus providing them with an incentive to manage the habitat in an environmentally friendly manner.
The Mpingo Conservation & Development Initiative (MCDI, formerly the Mpingo Conservation Project) is involved in research, awareness raising and practical conservation of African blackwood.
The African blackwood Conservation Project works around Mount Kilimanjaro replanting African blackwood trees, and in conservation education.
Historic, rare and slow growing - this timber is not suitable material for mass-produced floors, furniture or frankly, any manufactured product.
Western logging companies have pillaged these forests. Local craftsmen, people who have worked with these woods sustainably for decades, are cast aside in the industrialization of Africa’s rare wood resources.
There are “certification” requirements for export however, conservation and preservation groups have accumulated many illegal examples of such permits. In fact, most of the export permits are illegal.
The market’s insatiable appetite will lead to the loss of species if the overharvesting continues. There is a huge demand in China for furniture made from these woods and that demand is ravaging the rosewood forests of Africa.
Today, Mali’s forests continue to be leased and sold to foreign logging companies. Amadou can only make a living by picking up the scraps they leave for locals, the pieces they consider “unsuitable” for their high-end mass production furniture. Some branches are too small for them to bother with, some have white markings on the black wood - a stunning mark which you will see in Amadou’s remarkable pieces.
We need to make sure we get it without harming the environment. By taking care of Black lumber, we make sure future artists can still enjoy its beauty and strength.
