Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
black limba
David Galloway
>I just turned a piece I bought at Southern Symposium from Howard. A piece of black limba. An exotic I am presuming is from Africa. What a sweet piece! I turned a bowl today that I am hoping to give to my mother tomorrow as I head down to the beach. Anyone know anything about this amazing wood?
David Galloway
GAW, Apple Ridge
Re: black limba
Joel Hunnicutt
>I've turned a few pens with it. Turns like a dream. Would love to see a pic of the bowl.
Re: black limba
Bill Grumbine, Kutztown PA
>Hi David
I had a chance to turn a square bowl out of regular limba a few years ago, and I got to look at some black limba. The regular stuff was curly and the color of ash, but the black stuff was spectacular.
Bill
Re: black limba
Jon Arno
>Dave, you're right that limba is an African timber. It is cut from members of the genus; Terminalia...usually Terminalia superba. the nicest stock, with black marbling is often sold as "black limba" or "dark limba". Another common name for this wood is afara.
It's an extremely attractive wood and it's soft enough (comparable in density to genuine mahogany) that it is relatively easy to work with hand tools. Be sure to wear a dust mask, though...and be careful of splinters. The extractives in limba irritate some people.