Search for

Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Carving Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Strength Properties Texture Trade Name Tree Size Turning Veneering Qualities Weathering Scientific Name Rhamnus zeyheri Trade Name Red ivorywood Family Name Common Names M'beza, Mnai, Mucarane, Mulatchine, Pau preto, Pink ivory, Red ivorywood, Sungangona, Umgoloti, Umnini Regions of Distribution Africa Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe Common Uses Carvings, Chessmen, Decorative veneer, Flooring, Furniture , Inlay work, Interior construction, Joinery, Mine timbers, Paneling , Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer Environmental Profile Status has not been officially assessed Known to be extremely rare and very difficult to find Heartwood Color Red Brown Purple Green/grey Yellowish brown, with a rich, golden red cast Sapwood Color White Brown Yellow Pink Grain Even Straight Interlocked Straight to interlocked A pinkish red striped figure is produced by alternating bands of light and dark colored wood tissue in the growth rings Texture Fine Medium Even or uniform Uniform Moderately fine Even textured Pore structure is described as fine Luster Medium Natural Durability Durable Very durable Susceptible to insect attack Resistant to powder post beetles Resistant to termites Red ivorywood has very low natural resistance to attack by decay-causing fungi and wood destroying insects Weathering Excellent Odor No specific smell or taste Drying Defects Checking Distortion The wood has a tendency to distort severely if it is not dried with care Ease of Drying Slowly Moderately Difficult to Difficult Requires special attention Shrinkage is very high Difficult to air-season Requires carefully controlled kiln-drying conditions to prevent excessive degrade Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries at a moderate speed Naturally dries slowly Tree Size Tree height is 30-40 m Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Bole length is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Tree height is 40-50 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Tree height is 50-60 m Bole length is 20-30 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Product Sources Red ivorywood is seldom found, and is sold at a very expensive price when available. Although it is called Red ivorywood and Pink ivory on the US market, the species is not related to the Ivorywood from Brazil (Balfourodendron iedelianum). Although Red ivorywood is widely considered as a rare species that is seldom used or carried by US dealers of exotic veneers, small quantities are available from environmentally responsible sources within its origin. Blunting Effect The wood has medium to severe dulling effect on cutting edges Boring Fairly easy to very easy Difficult, especially with hand tools Sharp, thin edges and proper cutting angles are suggested for the best results in most machining operations Carving Fairly Easy to Very Easy Excellent weathering characteristics The wood is highly favored for small items such as wooden jewelry and chessmen Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Good properties Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Moulding Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Not stable/prone to move Nailing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Pre-boring recommended Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy A reduced cutting angle is recommended for planing quarter sawn material and cutting edges should be kept very sharp to prevent grain pick-up Resistance to Impregnation Sapwood is treatable Heartwood responds poorly to preservative treatment Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Responds Readily Red ivorywood is very hard, heavy, and tough, which makes it rather difficult to work with hand tools. Cutting edges should be kept very sharp since the wood has a medium to severe dulling effect on cutters. Routing & Recessing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Sanding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Screwing Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Holds screws firmly Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Popular choice for turnery work Veneering Qualities Figured Red ivorywood logs are sliced into highly decorative veneers which are used for wall paneling Steam Bending Poor Can only be bent to a large radius of curvature Polishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Shiny surfaces result Staining Stains well Stains evenly Strength Properties Very heavy High strength properties It is very difficult to find, and is reported to be called the royal wood of the Zulus because of its rarity and its importance in local customs. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Specific Gravity 0.86 Weight 54 44. lbs/ft3 Item Green Dry Metric Specific Gravity 0.86 References Constantine, Jr. A.J. 1975. Know your Woods - A Complete Guide to Trees, Woods, and Veneers. Revised Edition, Revised by Harry J. Hobbs. Charles Scribner and Sons, New York. Kaiser, J. 1993. Wood of the Month: Red Ivorywood - Rarer than Diamonds. Wood & Wood Products, March 1993, Page 30. Kribbs, D.A. 1959. Commercial Foreign Woods on the American Market. Buckhout Lab., Dept. of Botany, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania. Lincoln, W.A. 1986. World Woods in Color. Linden Publishing Co. Inc. Fresno, California. Rio Rivuma. 1993. Rhamnus zehyeri. On Rio Rivuma Species List September 10, 1993. Rio Rivuma