Philippine Macassar Ebony Environmental Profile
The environmental status of Macassar ebony within its natural range is reported to be Rare (Source - World Conservation Monitoring Center - 1992 ).

Range of Distribution
The range of the species is reported to be in the East Indies, Philippine Islands, and the Celebes Islands of Indonesia. It prefers well-drained, rocky earth, and sometimes found near water but never in swamps or marshlands.

Product / Timber Sources
Macassar ebony is reported to be rare and is one of the most expensive timbers on the commercial market.

Tree Data
The adult tree is reported to be generally small, and attains an average height of about 50 feet (15 m), with a trunk diameter of about 16 inches (41 cm).

Wood Texture
Texture is reported to be fine.

Luster
Luster described as metallic.

Polishing
The timber is reported to take an excellent finish.

Movement in Timber
Macassar ebony is reported to be very stable after seasoning, and shows only small movement in use.

Natural Wood Durability
The heartwood is reported to have high natural resistance to decay, but it is susceptible to attack by forest longhorn beetle. Resistance to termite attack is rated as moderate.

Resistance to Impregnation
The timber is reported to be highly resistant to preservative treatment.

Toxic Constituents/Properties
Sawdust from machining and woodcarving operations is reported to cause irritation in some individuals.

Cutting Resistance
Resistance to cutting is reported to be high because of its hardness.

Blunting Effect
Blunting effect on cutting surfaces and edges is rated as rather severe.

Planing
Macassar ebony is reported to work rather slowly because it is hard.

Nailing & Screwing
Nailing and screwing are reported to be difficult without pre-boring.

Response to Handheld Tools
The material is reported to be rather hard to work with handheld tools.

Strength Properties
Exceptionally heavy, weighing much more than the White oak or Teak woods.

Comments
Macassar ebony heartwood is reported to be strong, very heavy, and very hard.

Care and maintenance of Kamagong Iron Wood, Bahi and other hardwoods:

• Store in a dry place
• Wipe it with a clean dry cloth after each practice.
• If the wood becomes dull in color or loses its shine just apply a wood polisher or wax from a supermarket store or hardware store, wait 5 minutes and wipe dry with a clean cloth and the natural wood shine should come back.
• Do not apply wood polisher or wax on handles to prevent slippage when practicing.

Important Note:
Kamagong Ironwood is one of the hardest hardwoods in nature but they are by no means indestructible. Continuous hard impact training may result in damage to our item.