KEBONY

We live in a time when even a person who does not have an overly developed ecological feeling suspects that something is wrong. Despite the claims of many arrogant politicians that everything is under control, we see and, above all, feel that this is certainly not the case. Extreme weather fluctuations as a result of human irresponsible activities are intensifying every year. Droughts cause devastating fires that accomplish what man has failed to destroy.

Quite a pessimistic introduction, yes, we agree. Fortunately, there are people living among us who work effectively to maintain balance in nature. This is evidenced, for example, by the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. As an example, we can mention the manufacturer of iconic pocket knives of the MCUSTA brand. Handles made of exotic woods such as ebony, cocobolo or rosewood began to be replaced by quinces, ironwood, or composites pakkawood, Micarta and Corian. This is truly an example to follow. At the same time, the handles have not lost any of their aesthetic aspects of practicality, not to mention. & Nbsp;

Another great example is the Norwegian company Kebony. It has developed a material that is natural and at the same time sustainable, ecological and harmless, strong and highly aesthetic. Sounds unbelievable, doesn't it? So let's take a closer look at it. 

The properties described above are mostly expensive exotic and unfortunately very endangered woody plants such as the already mentioned ebony, rosewood or cocobolo. They are very dense woods and therefore reach a high degree of hardness. This is also the reason why they need more than 3 decades to achieve mining growth. In contrast, conventional, fast-growing woody plants, such as pine, will reach this growth in a decade. However, the density of pine is in no way comparable to these exotic woods. In order to acquire similar properties, it needs to be adjusted accordingly. Norwegian scientists know how to do it. They found that if soft wood was properly impregnated, they would get a very durable and strong material. They began to impregnate the pine wood with bio solution at high temperature and pressure. It is furfuryl alcohol obtained from biomass. So it's green chemistry. Furfuryl alcohol expands cell walls by 50% of their original thickness. The wood thus becomes very strong and its hardness reaches 7160 N according to Janka's method. For comparison, teak has a hardness of 4740 N. We are still talking about full-fledged wood, not a wood-plastic composite. So there is an ideal material. And what does it look like with its sustainability and ecology? 

The wood used for the Kebony treatment comes exclusively from FSC-certified farms / Forest Stewardship Council /. This certificate guarantees that the harvesting and processing of wood complies with the set standards for its recovery and sustainability, as well as the impact on the environment and the social aspect in the area. The impregnating substance is a by-product of biomass processing or sugar production. It is ecological, harmless to the human body. Wood treated in this way is not toxic, it can come into contact with food and its disposal does not produce harmful substances and, of course, it is naturally degradable. It is therefore not surprising that Kebony received the Nordic Swan Ecolabel for this product. 

In addition to its strength and hardness, Kebony has other advantages. It is resistant to mold and can be processed well. It is aesthetic and often resembles a rosewood. As it is a real wood, it has its natural properties. Due to the effects of the weather, it gradually changes color to silver-gray. It increases slightly in volume when exposed to excessive moisture. 

So we are very pleased that Kebony has found his way to the Nippon Knives. You will find it on the octagonal knife handles from the workshop of the masters of Yoshida Hamono. 

© 2020 Copyright Roman Ulík, Nippon Knives, www.japonskenoze.sk, All rights reserved

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