I want to make a few forend tips and grip caps next winter. Where is a good source for Ebony wood?

Also, there was a long thread on making forend tips out of Ebony. Does anyone have the thread number at hand to repeat here?

As always, thank you.

http://www.exoticwoodsusa.com/...r_macassar_ebony.htm

a few variations. I bought from them a long time ago. They closed the retail store and are now just mail order.

Thanks, guys. Found a piece.

Sharon Dressel sells them, properly aged as well.

About 10 years ago we were on safari in the Selous. We were going to a spike camp up near the Rufigi river and needed some firewood. There was a tree down and we got out and started to chop it up when I noticed that inside the dry exterior the wood was black. I asked our PH if it was ebony and he said it was. I almost cried.

I just bought a 2" x 2" x 6" piece off of FleaBay for $17.00 dollars.

If it is not well aged, I will get a piece from Ms. Dressel.

Thanks for the input.

Did you snag a piece of the ebony before it was consumed in the flames?

Mrs Blacktailer has a walking stick that our PH made for her.

Yup,
Spending time at the source spoils you for life back home. After living in Alaska, I cannot eat Halibut, or Silver Salmon unless it is fresh from the water. The same for eating fresh cow elk, no more shooting bulls for me. Iknow there was a thread about making and installing fore end tips.

There is a video about it on YouTube from Midway USA, FWIW.

Thanks, LDO
Remember Buddy, the Wonder Dog?

quote:

Iknow there was a thread about making and installing fore end tips.

See if you can find the Silver Lining Scholarship Rifle thread, Duane Wiebe discusses installing an ebony fore end tip. If that doesn't work the Tom Turpin book on David Miller and Curt Crum, Mastery of Wood and Metal I think, shows how they do it, step by step.

I sell exotic wood,, about 60 different species... different dimensions, knife scales, pistol grips, pen blanks... some stabilized with gator venom, some not... wax sealed.. if I can help, let me know.. thanks, jim

For a slightly different look, depending on piece, you might consider African Blackwood, which is heavier, harder, and probably more stable than ebony. Woodcraft, for instance, has blocks that were intended to be clarinet bells for $10 that would work, but generally it is about the same price as gaboon ebony.

I have some African Blackwood also.
If you need a piece I'll send you a chunk.

quote:

Originally posted by lawndart:
Thanks, LDO
Remember Buddy, the Wonder Dog?

He's a good boy! Yes he is!

Thanks back forty,
I will keep that in mind. How does it differ from Gabon ebony? I'm learning more than I ever did in school!

The stuff I have is 2" or so slabs 16" wide. It varies from dark chocolate to near black, some has visable grain, some is so fine you can hardly tell. I had a stripped down singer treadle sewing machine base I put a piece on. With the white sapwood on the edge and the black sanded and waxed it was stunning. Gave it to my daughter.