Katalox (Mexican ebony)

Overview

Katalox (Swartzia cubensis), the 'Mexican ebony', is a dark reddish brown to nearly black wood with purple tints, among the stiffest and strongest in the world. It is a popular ebony substitute but not a true ebony. Pick it for black-brown accents, turned parts and guitars.

Pros

• Dark reddish-brown to nearly black heartwood, sometimes strongly purple.
• Janka 3,660 lbf and about 1,150 kg/m3; exceptional strength and stiffness.
• Very durable.
• Not CITES-listed and not on the Red List.
• Curly or wavy grain is not uncommon.

Cons

• Dense: moderate-to-high blunting effect on cutters, and tear-out on interlocked grain.
• Troublesome to glue because of density and natural oil.
• Sapwood is sharply demarcated and pale, and often present on boards.
• Respiratory irritation reported in some people.
• Mid-to-upper price; usually sold as turning squares or figured lumber.

Variants and subspecies

• Swartzia cubensis: the usual katalox.
• Mexican royal ebony: a trade name; it is not a Diospyros ebony.
• True ebony: see Gaboon ebony (African ebony) for the real thing, which is expensive and Endangered.

Working and finishing

Carbide tools, light passes and pilot holes. Wipe glue surfaces with solvent first and test the joint. It turns and polishes well.

Staining and finishing colour

No stain; the natural dark colour is the point. Oil or wax finishes bring out purple tints.

Sustainability and handling

CITES and IUCN: not listed (Wood Database; APHIS CITES Timber Manual, checked 2026-09-30); unassessed rather than proven secure. FSC availability is not verified here. The US Lacey Act makes it unlawful to trade wood taken or exported in breach of the source country's laws (fws.gov/law/lacey-act), so buy from dealers who can name the country and species. If a piece will be exported to or sold in the EU, Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 (the EUDR) requires due-diligence evidence that wood products are deforestation-free and legally produced; check its current application date with your buyer.

Ethical call: a sensible dark-wood alternative to Gaboon ebony (African ebony) and to Cocobolo. Health: respiratory irritation reported. The US National Cancer Institute reports strong, consistent associations between wood-dust exposure and cancers of the nasal cavity and sinuses, so use extraction and a respirator when sanding.

Popular projects

Inlays, accent pieces, fine furniture, guitar fingerboards and parts, turned items, parquet flooring and pool cues.

Buying notes

Bell lists 4/4 at $22.00 per board foot (September 2026); a specialist lists a 1.5 in live-edge slab around 40 in long for $265. Expect a lot of pale sapwood on boards.