Katalox
Scientific name: Swartzia cubensis
Overview
Katalox is a dense tropical hardwood native to Mexico and Central America. Swartzia cubensis belongs to the Fabaceae family and is particularly valued for its extremely dark heartwood, high density, hardness, and ability to take a smooth polished surface.
The heartwood generally ranges from dark reddish brown and chocolate brown to deep purplish brown or nearly black. Darker streaks can create dramatic variation, while the sapwood is typically pale cream to yellowish brown and contrasts sharply with the heartwood. Grain is generally straight to irregular or interlocked, while texture is fine and relatively even.
Katalox is exceptionally hard and heavy, making it challenging to machine but highly desirable for specialty applications. It is used for turning, inlay, musical instruments, decorative boxes, knife handles, furniture accents, flooring, and other projects where hardness, wear resistance, and dramatic dark coloration are desirable.
Quick Facts
- Common Name: Katalox
- Alternate Common Names: Mexican Royal Ebony, Mexican Ebony
- Scientific Name: Swartzia cubensis
- Region: Central American Woods
- Tree Size: Approximately 50–100 ft (15–30 m) tall, with mature dimensions varying by growing conditions
- Average Dried Weight: Approximately 70–75 lbs/ft³ (1,120–1,200 kg/m³)
- Janka Hardness: Approximately 3,660 lbf
- Grain: Straight to irregular or interlocked
- Texture: Fine and relatively even
Identification Characteristics
Katalox is most readily recognized by its exceptionally dark heartwood and striking contrast with the much lighter sapwood.
Heartwood can range from dark reddish brown and chocolate brown to purplish brown and nearly black. Some boards display subtle darker streaks or color variation that becomes especially attractive under a clear finish.
Sapwood is generally cream, pale yellow, or light tan and can create dramatic two-tone boards when retained.
Key identification traits include:
- Dark reddish-brown to chocolate-brown heartwood
- Purplish-brown to nearly black coloration
- Pale cream to yellowish sapwood
- Very strong heartwood and sapwood contrast
- Fine, relatively even texture
- Straight to irregular or interlocked grain
- Very heavy and dense character
- Excellent natural polish
Working Properties
Katalox is difficult to machine because of its exceptional density and hardness. Cutting resistance is high, and prolonged machining can dull cutting edges relatively quickly.
Sharp carbide tooling is highly recommended. Interlocked or irregular grain can produce tear-out, while excessive friction during cutting, drilling, or sanding can generate considerable heat.
Pre-drilling is strongly recommended for screws and other fasteners. Despite the machining challenges, properly prepared Katalox can produce an exceptionally smooth, polished surface.
- Very high cutting resistance
- Carbide tooling is recommended
- Can cause significant tool wear
- Interlocked grain may produce tear-out
- Turns exceptionally well with appropriate equipment
- Sands and polishes to a very smooth surface
- Pre-drilling is strongly recommended
Safety Note
Katalox wood dust may cause skin, eye, or respiratory irritation in sensitive individuals. Fine dust generated when sanding dense hardwood can remain airborne and should be controlled carefully.
Effective dust extraction, respiratory protection, eye protection, and appropriate skin protection are recommended during sawing, routing, turning, drilling, and sanding.
Common Uses
Its exceptional hardness, dark coloration, fine texture, and ability to take a high polish make Katalox particularly suitable for:
- Wood turning
- Knife handles
- Inlay
- Musical instrument components
- Decorative boxes
- Furniture accents
- Fine furniture
- Flooring
- Carving
- Small specialty objects
Sustainability & Notes
Katalox occurs naturally in Mexico and portions of Central America. Its dense, attractive heartwood makes it desirable in specialty woodworking markets, where relatively small pieces can have substantial value.
The name Mexican Ebony is sometimes applied to Katalox because of its dark coloration, but Katalox is not a true ebony. True ebonies belong to the genus Diospyros, while Katalox belongs to Swartzia in the Fabaceae family.
This distinction is important for accurate wood identification and for understanding commercial trade names.
Responsible sourcing, legal harvesting, forest management, and traceability should be considered when purchasing Katalox or other tropical hardwoods.
Comparative Notes & Related Species
Wamara – Another Swartzia hardwood known for dark coloration, high density, and excellent decorative potential, providing a strong botanical comparison with Katalox.
Cocobolo – A dense Central American specialty hardwood prized for turning, musical instruments, knife handles, decorative objects, and richly colored heartwood.
Honduran Rosewood – Another dense Central American hardwood valued for musical instruments, turning, furniture accents, and specialty woodworking.
Related Guides
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Best Woods for Guitar Building
Learn how density, stability, appearance, resonance, workability, and other characteristics influence wood selection for musical instruments.
Machining Dense Tropical Hardwoods
Learn how carbide tooling, cutting technique, feed rate, heat management, drilling, and surface preparation can improve results when machining exceptionally dense woods.
Compare Wood Properties
See how this species ranks in density and hardness using our Wood Density & Janka Hardness Chart. You can also explore Hardest Woods, Softest Woods, and Most Dense Woods for quick comparisons.
Collector Notes
Katalox is an excellent collector species because of its dramatic heartwood-to-sapwood contrast and exceptionally high density.
A specimen containing both pale sapwood and nearly black heartwood is particularly desirable because it demonstrates the remarkable natural color variation that can occur within a single tree.
Collector specimens should retain the scientific name Swartzia cubensis, geographic origin, acquisition date, supplier or donor, and any available sourcing documentation.
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When submitting photos, please include the common name, scientific name (if known), a brief description, and any information you would like us to share with the image.
Wood Sample Collection
This species is part of an ongoing effort to document and preserve wood samples from around the world.
Learn more about contributing to the collection:
Resources
Authoritative botanical and forestry references used in compiling information about this species include:
• USDA Forest Service – Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material
https://www.fpl.fs.usda.gov/products/publications/
• The Wood Database – Global reference for wood identification, physical properties, and woodworking characteristics
https://www.wood-database.com/
• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – Plants of the World Online – Botanical taxonomy and species distribution database
https://powo.science.kew.org/
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN Red List) – Global conservation status assessments
https://www.iucnredlist.org/
• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) – International trade regulations for protected plant species
https://cites.org/
Additional forestry publications, academic research papers, and regional timber studies may also be referenced where available.
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Availability & Where to Buy
Exotic hardwood availability can vary significantly depending on region, sustainability regulations, and supplier inventory.
As this archive grows, recommended suppliers and specialty wood retailers will be listed here to help woodworkers locate responsibly sourced material.
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