African Blackwood is a
dense, lustrous wood that ranges from brownish to pure black. It is generally cut into small billets or logs with its sharply demarcated bright yellow white sapwood left on to assist in the slow drying so as to prevent cracks developing. Good quality "A" grade African Blackwood commands high prices on the commercial timber market. Furniture makers from the time of the Egyptians have valued this timber. The German knife company Wusthof has also begun to sell a series of knifes with blackwood handles due to the wood's moisture repellent qualities.
(Information gathered from Wikipedia.com)