The highly decorative hardwood of blackwood outshines almost every other timber in the range of colours which it possess. The heartwood is a rich golden brown through which there may be streaks of reddish brown or almost black. The sapwood which is a pale cream-brown, contrasting strongly with the heartwood. Grain is usually straight but sometimes wavy, producing fiddleback figure. Blackwood is rated as moderately regrading decay resistance, though susceptible to insect attack.
Endgrain: Diffuse-porous; large pores in no specific arrangement; few to very few; solitary and radial multiples of 2-3; narrow rays, spacing normal, can be reddish colour.
Workability: Australian Blackwood is easily worked with both hand and machine tools, though figured wood and pieces with interlocked grain can cause tearout. Australian Blackwood turns, glues, stains, and finishes well. Responds well to steam bending.
Common uses: Veneer, furniture, cabinetry, musical instruments and wood objects.
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