Hopefully I can get a little help here. Ebony is getting very hard to find anymore. I talked with one of my suppliers, and they said that less and less lumber is coming from Africa, and ebony will be getting very hard to get. I have used the African Blackwood, which is also very dark, but you can see more grain in it. I was wondering if anyone knew of any other alternative I can use. I need something that I can get 3" wide and 2" thick. The blackwood comes in 2"x2" pieces. Please let me know if you can lend a hand.

Thanks

Mark

Try looking on eBay. That's where I got my last stick of ebony (2x2x12). It was a very good specimen, very dark (no brown streaks), dense and no problems with splits. I think I ordered it from Cookwoods. They sell a lot of exotic hardwoods on eBay.

Does it need to be a wood of the same color type? I mean you are wanting to stay real dark right?

I know that I bought a piece of ebony from richard's microfit.

I have been thinking that a piece of purple heart would make good tip and cap on a blond stock. hmmmm......

Red

I do need something dark, as close to ebony as I can, only the hard part is the need of the 3" wide piece. I will check on ebay, and thanks for your help.

Died ironwood - the eastern ironwood that is a deciduous understory tree is very white but very grainless and can be died/stained black.

Brent

V V Mark

Dakota Arms use to sell what they called
Dakota-X, Faux Ebony. This was walnut
that was color-pressure treated to match Ebony.
I think this was what they used on a lot of
there rifles.
Might be worth a call.

James

Just called Cook- They have one piece 2x3x36". One left. I can use that for now, but if I need something like this again, I might have to use something different.

Brent- How stable is the ironwood? Does it have a higher or lower oil content than ebony?

James- That is very helpful. Maybe I will give them a call also.

Thanks again.

[ 09-05-2003, 22:55: Message edited by: VV Mark ]

V V Mark

It was called Ebon-X, Not Dakota-X.
Pushed the button befor reading

James

Brits and Germans traditionaly used buffalo horn. It's actually better than ebony as it's stability is unmatched. Most knife maker supply houses carry it.

I just bought a full horn for about 50 quid. I know I will be able to get at least 10 forend tips (sporter configuration stock) out of it. Plus the left overs will be good for handgun grips and/or knife scales.

By the way, my preference is for a black forend tip. Anything other than a black material would not be considered traditional. Doesn't mean that another color wouldn't work. It just won't be classic.

[ 09-06-2003, 01:01: Message edited by: Scrollcutter ]

I have rosewood tip and cap on a walnut stock and they look pretty good together. I have seen buffalo horn used before on knives and pipes, it did look good, I hadn't thought of that for stocks. good idea.

Red

If you still want Ebony, look up Eisenbrand Inc. at www.eisenbran.com; they offer 2" thick lumber and even bowl blanks in Gibon Ebony, which is the solid black type. They offer a all the woods mentioned in this thread and some other exotics. Great company.

[ 09-06-2003, 09:54: Message edited by: 45LCshooter ]