[Lewey]

I have a customer asking for a cane. He wants something made of heavy, dense wood. He wants a dark wood with lots of figure. Also wants the endcaps and spacers to be dark.

I'm thinking ziricote or wenge shaft with african Blackwood embellishments.

Anyone able to offer other design suggestions?

 

[Rad]

Sorry, no. However it is good to see that someone is still alive out there! The site has been pretty slow lately! My last couple of posts have gone totally un-responded. I look forward to what you come up with!

 

[Lewey]

Thanks Rad.

 

[CAS14]

Lewey, you know far more than me about such things. Although I don't have much exposure as yet to hardwoods, I recently made an attachment from marblewood and I liked the look after applying as much 100% tung oil as it would absorb. It made my forstner bit smoke as much as the pecan did.

Of course the marblewood is light and dark banded, parallel to the grain.

 

[gdenby]

Your picks seem to ft the bill.

I can't really suggest anything else. The 1 shop near me that sells exotic hardwoods has a very limited supply. Never even seen wenge. I did have a piece of zircote. My recollection was that it was tight grained, but had as much brown wood as black.

Doing a search, I find Ziziphus obtusifolia, aka "leadwood," from Texas, and Ebenopsis ebano, called Texas ebony. I suppose those would be pretty hard to find, but have a very dark color.

I also see something called "Pau Santo.," Zollernia paraensis, which may be very dark.

Good luck. I've messed w. ebonizing woods to get a black or dark purple color. Not what tyour client wants, but may satisfy if really dark woods are not available.