The Woods: Katalox


Katalox (pronounced Ka-ta-lush…but many say Ka-ta-locks) also known as Royal Mexican Ebony, is an amazing wood.  Very darkly colored with streaks of deep reddish and purplish hues, Katalox is extremely dense and heavy.  When finished it feels like something you’d make knife handles or tools from.  It’s extremely dense stuff.  Its makes White Oak feel like Balsa!

 

Katalox is not a very popular wood.  It’s very hard and hard to work with anything but carbide tools.  It’s hard to glue to its high density and natural oils.  And it’s expensive to transport due to its weight.  All of that adds up to a general avoidance of the wood. 

 

Which is a shame, because this is some of the most unique and beautiful wood you’ll ever see.  And if you take the proper approach to milling and working it, you can get some incredible results.  There’s currently no better available, very dark wood in my opinion.  When folks come looking for Wenge and I show them this…they always prefer Katalox.  I do too!

 

Hardness:            3,660lbf

Density:               72 lb/ft3