I don't see much mention of the wood used on Buck knives when folks talk about the dating. I'd be interested to see any wood info, concerning types and dates, for the 110, 112, and 500 series.
Here is the ebony info.
JP
Information on Macassar Ebony Lumber
(diospyros insularis)
Uses:
Black Ebony is an exotic species probably most known for its use as fingerboards for various musical
instruments, whereas the macassar ebony is the wood of choice for many decorative turners. Its
amazing striped pattern of real blacks and dark chocolate browns is an unresistable draw for those in the know.
Other Names: calamander wood, variegated ebony
The Tree:
Ebony is the Greek word for "fruit of the gods" and if you read the history books they suggest that
drinking goblets were made from this wood, as they believed it was an antidote for poison, and its
use would ward off their enemy's evil intent.
There are 100's of types of ebony worldwide, but most are only shrubs, and only one found in N. America ..
the persimmon tree, known best as a wood for the manufacture of golf clubs.
The trees today are few and far between, and of a much smaller size then 20 year ago, ... found on the
Asian, Indian and African continent. They can grow to 50' in height & 1 1/2' around, but you're talking about
a tree over 100 years old, thus supplies of all sorts of ebony are in relatively limited supply.
Wood Description:
Information on macassar ebony lumber is relatively limited. It is an ebony from India and the East Indies
and varies from its closest cousin in the colour banding that makes this wood so dramatic in appearance.
Macassar lumber is less brittle than the gaboon and thus less prone to splitting. The grain can be dramatic
and variable from one board to the next.
Weight:approximately 65+ lbs per cubic foot