Wenge ( /ˈwɛŋɡeɪ/ weng-gay) is a tropical timber, very dark in color with a distinctive figure and a strong partridge pattern. The wood is heavy and hard, suitable for flooring and staircases. It also gives its name to the colour wenge.
Contents |
Several musical instrument makers employ wenge in their products. Alembic guitars has used this wood on numerous occasions for custom instruments. Ibanez uses it for the five-piece necks of some of their electric basses. Warwick electric basses use it for fingerboards.
The wood is popular in segmented woodturning because of its dimensional stability and color contrast when mixed with lighter woods such as maple. This makes it especially sought after in the manufacture of high-end wood canes.
The wood is sometimes used in the making of archery bows, particularly as a laminate in the production of flatbows. It can also be used in the making of rails or pin blocks on hammered dulcimers.
The dust produced when cutting or sanding wenge can cause dermatitis similar to the effects of poison ivy and is an irritant to the eyes. The dust also can cause respiratory problems and drowsiness. Splinters are septic, similar to those of greenheart (the wood of Chlorocardium rodiei).
Wenge is the product of the Millettia laurentii tree. Native to the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea, this species was listed as endangered in the IUCN Red List: Category EN A1cd in 1998 but has not been updated since that time. The annotation of "needs updating" is now listed under the assessment information, which means it is not necessarily the current status of the species. In 1998, the Millettia laurentii was put on the endangered list principally due to destruction of its habitat and over-exploitation for timber.[1] Other names sometimes used for wenge include African Rosewood, Congolese Rosewood, Faux Ebony, Dikela, Mibotu, Bokonge and Awong.