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Author Topic: Ebony  (Read 4355 times)

Offline Nate McKenzie

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Ebony
« on: April 29, 2015, 09:22:49 PM »
Hi all. I need to work down and finish an ebony nose cap on an antique half stock.  I've never worked with ebony before.  Any pit falls or tips I should know about to save me from myself?  Thanks.
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Offline Acer Saccharum

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Re: Ebony
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2015, 10:05:31 PM »
It machines, rasps and scrapes beautifully. It is very hard and dense, but splits easily along the grain.
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Offline E.vonAschwege

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Re: Ebony
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2015, 10:16:09 PM »
Are you sure the original was ebony?  I've only ever seen black or green cow horn as nose caps on original arms.  Tom is right about splitting on the grain - best to rasp and scrape it instead of trying to chisel bits off. 
-Eric

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Offline D. Taylor Sapergia

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Re: Ebony
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2015, 10:44:14 PM »
Ebony is very hard.  It will dull chisels instantly, but it's not impossible.  It is more likely your missing cap was of black horn



Here's a butt trap lid of ebony...my old Jaeger .60 cal.
« Last Edit: April 30, 2015, 05:23:25 AM by D. Taylor Sapergia »
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Offline Dr. Tim-Boone

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Re: Ebony
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2015, 11:14:05 PM »
I have a long piece of ebony I intend to use for a ramrod.....you guys are scaring me off   :o :o ;D ;D
« Last Edit: April 29, 2015, 11:14:30 PM by Dr. Tim-Boone »
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Offline David Rase

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Re: Ebony
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2015, 11:27:49 PM »
Here we go again.  We just went through this 2 months ago.
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=34856.0
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dbraw

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Re: Ebony
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2015, 11:40:27 PM »
Just finished a pistol with an Ebony nose cap and ramrod. No problems. Finished with Chambers finish.
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Offline smart dog

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Re: Ebony
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2015, 01:13:43 AM »
Quote from: Dr. Tim-Boone on April 29, 2015, 11:14:05 PM
I have a long piece of ebony I intend to use for a ramrod.....you guys are scaring me off   :o :o ;D ;D

Hi Tim,
I've worked a bit with ebony and I am not sure I would want a ramrod made from it unless it is for a pistol.  It would be beautiful for a pistol rod but I am skeptical of it for a long gun.  It certainly would look like baleen, which was used for rods on some high-end English guns, but baleen is very tough and flexible.  Ebony tends to be brittle.  Rosewood might be a better choice for a longer rod. 

dave
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Offline Dr. Tim-Boone

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Re: Ebony
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2015, 01:44:20 AM »
This one is for a pistol.  I shopped all over for some baleen to make a 43" RR for my 1740 English stalking rifle... I discovered that it is legal for me to buy it from a native, but I cannot resell it....... I also could not find a native with a RR kind of piece available.
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De Oppresso Liber
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Liberty is the only thing you cannot have unless you are willing to give it to others. – William Allen White

Learning is not compulsory...........neither is survival! - W. Edwards Deming

Whaleman

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Re: Ebony
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2015, 06:22:31 AM »
D.taylor, That is beautiful! Dan
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Offline Nate McKenzie

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Re: Ebony
« Reply #10 on: May 04, 2015, 06:21:24 PM »
Thanks everyone.
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