The Pen Makers Boat: #867 Now Sold

Australian Blackwood with Blue Spirit Stain and Chrome Rollerball Pen

AUSTRALIAN BLACKWOOD (Acacia Melanoxylon)

Although called Blackwood, the name is somewhat of a misnomer, as its wood is not at all black. The name of the wood may refer to dark stains on the hands of woodworkers, caused by the high levels of tannin in the timber.

The sapwood may range in colour from straw to grey-white with clear demarcation from the heartwood. The heartwood is golden to dark brown with chocolate growth rings. The timber is generally straight grained bit may be wavy or interlocked. Quartersawn surfaces may produce an attractive fiddleback figure. The wood is lustrous and possesses a fine to medium texture.

The species has been introduced to many countries for forestry plantings and as an ornamental tree. It is declared noxious weed species in South Africa and is a pest in Portugal's Azores Islands. It was also recently listed by the California Invasive Plant Council as an invasive weed that may cause limited impact. Its use as a street tree is being phased out in some locales because of the damage it often causes to pavements and underground plumbing. In some regions of Tasmania blackwood is now considered a pest.

The wood is very good for many uses including furniture, tools, boats, boxes and wooden kegs. It is of about the same quality as walnut and it is well suited for shaping with steam. The bark has a tannin content of about 20%. It may also be used for producing decorative veneers.

Plain and figured Australian Blackwood is used in musical instrument masking (in particular guitars, drums, Hawaiian ukuleles, violin bows and organ pipes).

The piece of Australian Blackwood used to make this pen was very yellowy in colour, a blue spirit stain was applied, which combined with the yellow of the wood appears green.

Pen #867 was turned on 12th September 2017 at Hopwas on the Coventry Canal.