We use Ceylon ebony for turned objects, carving, inlay, and musical instrument parts like bridges, piano keys, and nuts. It isn’t easy to work with and to dry and glue. Ceylon ebony has a Janka hardness rating of 2,430 lb f. This wood has a straight grain which can sometimes be wavy with a uniform texture and a natural luster. The heartwood, when dried, takes on the appearance of black plastic. The heartwood of Ceylon ebony is jet black with occasional grey or dark brown streaks. The trees grow up to heights of 80 feet with trunk diameters of 6 feet. You will find this type of ebony growing in Sri Lanka, India, and Indonesia. Ceylon Ebony (Diospyros ebenum) Image Credit: Philg88 via Creative CommonsĬeylon ebony or East Indian Ebony has the unique characteristic of being an evergreen. But the common factor of all these ebony types is that they are rare and extremely expensive, if at all available. But there are several types of ebony, which vary in price and quality. There is a tendency to think of ebony as wood that belongs to a single species. In addition, ebony makes excellent knife handles, sculptures, and other carved objects. It also plays a prominent role in making chess board pieces and other exotic indoor games. Uses of Ebony Image Credit: Tom Stohlman via Creative CommonsĮbony is an excellent tonewood, making it useful for making musical instruments.

Brazilian ebony, for instance, has a Janka hardness score of 3,690 lb f. It is among the hardest woods on the planet.

It has a striped grain and also contains stripes of different colors. As a result, ebony makes some of the world’s most prized artifacts and exotic wooden items.Įbony is a dense, heavy, pitch-black wood.

For example, kings and queens used it to make drinking cups because of their belief that it could neutralize poisons.

Black and White Ebony (Diospyros malabarica)Īs we mentioned above, people used ebony for centuries.

Pale moon ebony lumber