Mpingo (African Blackwood) has quickly become one of my favorite woods to work with. It machines well, smells nice, isn’t grumpy on the lathe – meaning it doesn’t split or crack easily although it will if you try hard enough. This particular piece said “bottle stopper” to me as soon as I saw it. The cut off wasn’t big enough to do much else with. It wasn’t long enough to make a pen from but it was long & wide enough to fit into your hand nicely. I like how the two colors have such a distinct line between two such highly contrasting colors. On the chrome steel part, there are two O-rings along the taper to help seal most wine bottles. It also fits perfectly on bottles for storing oil, honey and the likes while adding a striking look to your kitchen counter or dining table.

Black & White Ebony (Diospyros embryopteris) is one of the prettier woods I work with and when it’s paired up with a solid piece of chromed steel, you can get some striking looks. This bottle stopper was made after a conversation with one of my best friends. I’d made a wine bottle stopper for her some time ago as a gift, but it was too tall for the capped bottle to fit into her fridge. She reminded me of it recently, so I gave this stopper a wide button shape instead of the long hand-gripping shape we normally see.


The stopper is equally useful for protecting your oil, vinegar and other liquids in storage bottles, and adds a touch of class to your kitchen counter.





Materials: Black & White Ebony wood, chrome steel, silicone O-rings which help seal most wine bottles.


Finish: Sanded to 400 grit, then 00 through 0000 steel wool.


Price: US$28
Item Ref No: BWEBS0041
Status: Sold but a similar one may be available. Click here to inquire.