Hey, I love to engage with fellows DIYers.
I can't say much about things like that. I mean a lot of good wood goes to waste every year for many reasons. But I don't like the teak-kindling situation one bit. It should be up to the regional government to do something about it.
I see. Once someone sent me a picture of a 5$ section of exotic woods offcuts. It was interesting to see how many things end on those sections that can be use for carving and instruments in general.
The story is lovely. Also one of those Colombus-like cases, he went looking for copper and found gold. I guess the wood was cheap since it was in that place. Most hard woods are a pain to work, the ones that have other particles inside, something that's also found in sand. That's why the dull edges so quick. About that African Blackwood it is interesting how it is a part of the Dalbergia Family. So it is a darker version of any Rosewood. And for the looks of it a very interesting one to work some things. I bet many Ebony things are actually this wood since Ebony is so scarce. I have never used something similar. Don't think people actually import that kind of wood here.
This is from the Rare Woods website - it's apparently very popular in guitar making.
"SPECIES DESCRIPTION
Without question, the densest and most un-rosewood-like of the Dalbergia’s (for our money, at least!), African Blackwood is a consistent favorite with acoustic guitar luthiers, wood turners, carvers and fine furniture craftsmen, alike; it remains one of the world’s most coveted musical woods. African Blackwood often appears almost completely black, with its grains hardly discernible. (… thus the name. After sanding, a deep, very dark chocolate color emerges.)"
Ha, ha, ha. "For our money," that killed me! It's an interesting choice to say the least. I also think it is cheaper than Ebony and as expensive as Rosewood. But I don't know. Materials for instruments are quite expensive when they are cut to shape.
So there's my rambling addition to your weekend woodworking post 🙂
One good rambling deserves another! 😄