Posted by Lacey Wilcox on 1st Jul 2014

Sought out for its beautiful black and creamy striped grain, African Zebrawood is an instantly recognizable and popular choice of lumber among woodworkers. Its beautiful, contrasting pattern makes it the perfect backdrop for many pieces, and it has been found to grace tables, floors, books, drums, and even knife handles.

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The African Zebrawood is native to the forests of Southwest Cameroon. Its height is almost as distinguished as its grain: it can tower up to 40 meters above the trees surrounding it. Sometimes called Zebrano, African Zebrawood is strong and stiff. Its popularity, however, comes from its incredible, bold coloring.

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While hardwoods can often run together and begin to look the same, this exotic hardwood makes its mark. Its unique wood grain can appear in different ways, depending upon how it is sawn. In flat sawn zebrawood, the stripes will be wavy. In quarter sawn wood, the stripes will take on a much more uniform appearance.

This exotic hardwood is bold, beautiful, and distinct. In order to give the wood grain center stage, we sand it carefully, starting out with a lower grit paper and then moving up until we reach a perfect appearance. We finish it with teak oil to help the unique grain pattern stand out. Its striking pattern creates a bow tie worth remembering, as evidenced in our Clive wooden bow tie. In this wooden bow tie, we pair the striking black and cream pattern of the Zebrawood with a grey denim centerpiece. It creates a look that is almost as striking as the Zebrawood itself: subtle, yet distinct. It’s the perfect piece to dress up or down: a staple in any gentlemen’s wardrobe.

If the Clive isn’t for you, the Mr. T wooden bow tie is an attractive piece that features this exotic hardwood. Simple, striking, and easy on the eyes, the black and cream stripes of the African Zebrawood pair perfectly with a trendy brown leather piece. It’s a staple item that will never let you down. We pity the fool that doesn’t appreciate this piece.