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Actually, the product I use is vulcanized cellulose (from recycled wood pulp). Once glued, this stuff is incredibly strong (as good or better than a wood to wood joint). My suggestion, if you want to buy directly from the manufacturer, is to call some , explain your needs and ask for samples. They want your business more than anything so they're typically very accomodating. If you want to go this route, try Willmington Fibre. If you just need a small amount or don't want to go through the hassel of doing the research, buy from someone like Gurian. If I were looking for fibre, I'd avoid the grizzly stuff.

I stand corrected.
Craig S.

Thanks for clearing that up Todd. The composition will depend on the manufacturer. Where do you get yours from?

I honestly think that the only reasons to use ebony instead of black fiber would be on an historical reproduction instrument, bragging rights, or the ability to get significantly more money for the instrument...which goes along with bragging rights. Objectively, I believe the black fiber binding that Gurian sells is a superior product for the purpose of edge binding a guitar.

That said, I used built up layers of .021" carbon fiber for binding on my latest guitar, and in that application the binding itself becomes a structural element, adding to the strength and stiffness of the guitar.

Another reason to use ebony is for the color ad grain; i choose my ebony bindings carefully, and always use pieces with slight color, and/or visible grain. Otherwise, if I'm after all black, it's plastics, simply because we can melt every seam into the next, for a simple, yet very clean look. 

That said, I'm very interested in fibers, having long used Gurian's purflings. I make many purflings in-house, and as i get better at it, I am making more all the time. At this point, I'd love to find black and white fiber sheets in various thickness and sizes. Is Wilmington Fibre Specialty Co.  the real deal, or is there another?

[QUOTE=ToddStock] I'm guessing that if Shane had a demand, he'd provide pre-dimensioned bindings and wedge/heel cap materials.[/QUOTE]

Yup!!

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Canada

[QUOTE=ToddStock]

If Bob has seen some of the lower density stuff, it's pretty easy to be skeptical of use as binding - peels apart like cheap mat board; however, the really hard stuff will not delam, is unaffected by most all industrial solvents, and wears like phenolic (which is once again fiber with a resin binder...).
[/QUOTE]

Todd if you mean Bob Garrish he was referring to wood veneer. At least that's how I read his post.

The stuff I have is the real stuff. Made from cellulose. Very hard indeed.

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That's right the good stuff if super hard. I have laminate thicker fiber (.0652" - 0.125" depending on the product) between hard maple for various projects. When routing through the maple into the fiber, it becomes quite clear how much harder the fiber is than the maple. It really is tough stuff.

Wilmington Fibre is one of two suppliers I use.

Who's the other supplier(if you don't mind?).