“Blackwood” is a striking, modern, and sleek looking cane with a wonderful feel and story. The handle and shaft are both African blackwood which is the densest and darkest member of the rosewood family of species. This wood is incredibly dense and durable and makes excellent functional implements. Its also very attractive with an incredibly tight, slow growing grain that is very chatoyant when exposed to enough light. In most room lit environments the wood will appear black at a glance. But in brighter light its grain is easily appreciated - good thing too! The handle is burl figured! a very special offering. About half of the handle is covered with figured grain and extraordinarily intricate burl “eyes”.

Adorning the end of the pistol grip handle is a piece of iron meteorite from the Xinjiang region of China, its part of the Aletai meteor. Frist discovered in the late 1800’s, the Aletai meteor was a large iron meteor estimated at over 70 tones. When it impacted earth it created a field of scattered fragments over 150 square miles. Fragments are still being collected to this day, often buried feet beneath the ground. The unique patterns in the metal are called “Widmanstätten patterns” and formed over millions of years as iron and nickel slowly cooled within the cores of asteroids that formed with our solar system. These patterns can’t be recreated or replicated on earth! A piece of outer space in your hands.

The whole cane is finished to a protective, glossy shine. A respectably heavy cane, made out of very dense wood, it feels substantial even though its not chunk or oversized. Could be used by most anyone but might not be enjoyable to use for longer walks or days out by someone of small stature. Total length measures 38” and can be shortened to fit.

For more information on the Aletai meteorite, follow this link to The Meteoritical Society website page for Aletai: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php?code=64400

The last two images are of the African Blackwood tree in its native range.

M A T E R I A L S

Handle – African Blackwood (Dalbergia Melanoxylon) from the plains region of Africa

Divider – Brushed Aluminum

Shaft – African Blackwood

Lapidary - Aletai Iron Meteorite from Modern Day China

Rubber tip

Every Gillis Cane is a photographed original, you'll always receive the exact cane in the images.