Drewnem Pisane (Wood Written) - Behind the scene - How a fountain pen is made Part 9. Wood – black oak

This is a real rarity in the field of wood. Also called fossil oak, excavation oak or Polish ebony. Imagine large trees that were flooded with water, drowned in swamps or covered with river sediments. Wood of oak or other species (e.g. hornbeam) does not decompose in the absence of air, but changes its density and color. The color of the entire wood changes due to the lack of oxygen and the presence of iron salts and other minerals that react with tannins in the wood. Such wood is denser because it is partially mineralized, heavier and more difficult to process. On average, black oaks are from several hundred to 6-8 thousand years old. Black oak is one of the rarest raw materials in the world, it is estimated that there is less of it on our planet than a diamond. It is also worth noting here that preparing black oak for processing may take up to several years. This wood must be dried very slowly so that it does not crack or fall apart. The drying temperature should be stable for a long time. Very often, the external parts of such a beam are destroyed anyway, so only part of the material is suitable for further processing. Black oak is often faked by dyeing it. Our real fossil wood has been tested and is 7,000 years old.