Durability?: Cocobolo or Ebony?

arizonaranchman

arizonaranchman

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Wondering if someone can advise on which is more durable in terms of daily use - Ebony or Cocobolo? I mean as far as getting it wet occasionally (water in food prep or gutting a deer for example). Also which is tougher as far as overall dings and dents in heavy use?
 
Can't say I've used both long term but my ebony boy's knife ended up in the dishwasher and it came out in pretty good shape.



It seems to me that durability is related to how hard the wood is so if that's the case, ebony is harder than cocobolo and would tend to be more durable. This page and this one are good resources.
 
Check this Wood hardness testing

Cocobolo is pretty low on the list but sure is pretty :)
G2

edited to say KP and I typed at the same time, but his page is an easier read, nice thanks sir!
 
Wow KP and dishwasher trip is definitely BRUTAL on wood, so that looks great actually.

Yes Cocobolo looks better Gary, but wondering if one or the other is tougher under use (and hence won't look as good as it used to once it's been battered around a bit!).
 
I have to say ebony would be my choice both in opinion and scientifically. Ebony is harder and therefore tighter grained and more durable. want more proof? check out the 100+ year old knives in ebony with barely any blade left but perfectly smooth black ebony handles.
 
Ebony wins hands down. I prefer cocobolo due to it's appearance, but Ebony wins for toughness.

~Chris
 
I think if it gets damp from time to time both will be OK. Wood is durable against being dropped & cracks & splits a lot less than bone or horn!

Hardness is not the sole indicator, it must be properly seasoned to be any good. Birch for example, is quite low down on that hardness scale but it's a mighty durable wood on puukko handles in very adverse conditions, just sayin'

Not sure, but I think Coco & Ebony cost about the same in some of those old knife catalogues. Another couple of woods to consider is Rosewood, very tough gear and I've found Zebrawood to be decent too.

Wood on!
 
^^ Will has a good point. Durability isn't JUST hardness. The "two" share similar hardness, density and high oil content.
All of these can add to there stability and their environmental resistance.

I think thery are much of a muchness.

Personally, I find ebony, Gaboon in particualr, a little uninteresting. I have also noted the grain to 'open' a little when subject to moisture, with moderate swelling. I've found Cocobolo to be more resistent in this respect. Certainly some literature I've read would also support this (i.e. 'Wood: Identification and Use' by Terry Porter, my fathers woodturning magazines and online resources).
 
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For overall durability, especially if it may get wet, cocobolo is probably the better choice. The high oil content works in its favor.

For years I have seen those janka hardness listings that show ebony at 3220 and cocobolo around 1136, and took it as the truth. However, someone challenged me on it once, saying that the 1136 value was an error that has been spread around the internet (and one large wood database clearly says that they feel it is an error, that cocobolo should have comparable or higher janka hardness than ebony) and I had to devise my own experiment.

So, I took some cocobolo and some ebony, and put all my weight on a phillips head screwdriver to see how far into the wood I could push it. To my complete surprise, I could make a very small impression in the ebony, but none at all in the cocobolo. Based on that, I would have to agree that the widely published cocobolo janka hardness of 1136 is incorrect.

There are other things to consider besides janka hardness (as stated above, water resistance may or may not be important to you). One thing that I have noticed is that cocobolo is easier to cut with a bandsaw than ebony. Whether this is because of the lubrication property of the oil content I can't say. Cocobolo may be more resistant to denting (see above) but less resistant to abrasion.

Anyway, those are my personal observations. However, both cocobolo and ebony are so much more durable than woods like oak, maple, hickory, etc, that you really only need to pick which one you like better. I have century-old antique slipjoints with cocobolo and ebony, some of which obviously saw plenty of use with little left of the sharpened-down blades, and the wood has held up just fine.

To add to the options, african blackwood is actually a rosewood (dalbergia) like cocobolo, and may be even more durable. And don't forget lignum vitae. If you want a super-durable wood handle, look no further. They even used lignum vitae for propeller shaft bearings in US submarines in WWII. An inexpensive alternative is ipe, which is probably more durable than ebony or cocobolo (it is noted as exceptionally resistant to weathering, and is harder than those woods, too), and some pieces look a lot like walnut.
 
As far as appearance of well-used cocobolo is concerned, most cocobolo will darken significantly with age and use. In fact, many of the pictures that I see posted in this forum of antique slipjoints that are labeled as ebony are actually probably cocobolo, I can see a hint of red. I have some cocobolo handled knives that were beautiful grained and medium red when new, but are now almost black. If you hold it in direct sunlight you can tell it is cocobolo (reddish cast, which you never see in ebony).

In my small collection of antique catalogs, cocobolo is more prominent in budget versions with iron bolsters/liners, while ebony is more prominent in the slightly higher priced versions with NS bolsters/brass liners. Some catalogs show no difference in price between the two wood options, some are slightly more expensive for ebony in equivalent knives.
 
Regular East Indian Black Ebony has a Janka hardness of about 2,430 lbs.
African or Gaboon Ebony has a Janka hardness of about 3,220 lb.
Cocoboloo which is a species of rosewood has a janka hardness of about 2950 lbs.

Janka hardness is a test where they push a 11.2mm steel bass half of its diameter into the wood. It is measured in lbs of force to push the ball in half way.
The wood specimens being tested have a 12% moisture content. ( stable )

Just for reference a piece of hard rock maple has a harness of 1450 lbs.
Desert ironwood is about 3200 lbs janka hardness.

A word of caution when working with Cocobolo, it is an eye and skin irritant and can cause extreme respiratory issues if you inhale the dust when sanding.
In my shop we wear gloves, gauntlets, goggles and believe it or not, a respirator when we have orders for anything that requires cocobolo. Many rosewood species are toxic. You can get both black ebony and cocobola for about $60 per board foot. Highly figured stuff can be more.
 
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Wow what a fantastic and detailed report on these woods, thanks so much. I'm saving that for future reference. It sounds like both are very durable and either is a good choice for the average user. Thanks!
 
It's interesting that cocobolo is well known as a sensitizer and causes severe allergic reactions, but I have never had a problem with it. For me, gaboon ebony is a different story. The one time I cut a piece on a bandsaw, I got welts on my skin where the sawdust touched me, including where I transferred it to the back of my neck when I scratched there.

Ipe is usually listed with a janka hardness of 3684, and lignum vitae is 4500. Gaboon (and macassar) ebony, cocobolo, ipe, and lignum vitae will sink in water. Lignum is so dense it behaves like a rock. Argentinean lignum vitae (sometimes called verawood) is very similar to true lignum vitae and is a much less expensive alternative.
 
Zeroed4X brought up desert ironwood (olneya tesota) and that could also be something for you to consider, especially since you are in Arizona and it would be a local wood. It has the hardness and the very high oil content to make a good handle material. It's beautiful wood, too.
 
Very useful posts thank you lambertiana.

I've heard that Zebra Wood has a foul odour when being sawn, this too could cause problems!

Regards, Will
 
Good info LT.

As mentioned there have been some historic inaccuracies in the recording of Janka hardnesses for certain species. I don't know how much stock I put in them. But I do appreciate first hand experience and 'in use' accounts of their performance.

I'm pleased to see that others have had similar experiences and conclusions with the two.

Obviously we are deviating from the OP's choices a little. It's my understanding that African Blackwood is considered THE hardest of woods. Again how this relates to durability is down to ones own interpretation. I think I'd like to get hold of some to try and work....not sure my tools would enjoy the experience though.
 
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