question about black locust

[Blacktail]

does any one know if smaller black locust has thick sap wood or is it better to cut more mature trees...john

[crooketarrow]

  Remove the sap wood, BL should be treated like osage.

[George Tsoukalas]

The smaller saplings have more  sapwood than heartwood. They can still be bows though. If possible get as close to the heartwood as possible so you may have to chase a ring. Be sure you leave enough wood for a bow and be sure you leave the stave a few inches longer than you normally do to counteract the crown on the little guys. Jawge

[Blacktail]

thanks george,thats what i was thinking...before i cut any thing i wanted to get an idea of whats inside...john

[Young Bowyer]

My grandmother (she's still tickin'!) Had a locust fall in her backyard, how can you identify honey locust from black locust?

Thanks 

[Blacktail]

i hope grandma dont read this...i did laugh....i havent looked into it...there might be a differance in leaves or fruit...google it with photos..john

[fishfinder401]

don't take my word for it, but i heard they are the same thing, just called different things in different places
noel

[blackhawk]

Honey and black locust are not the same thing. Honey has lots of clusters of long thorns protruding from its trunk and has a more plated bark. And black has furrowed bark and sometimes(pending on size and specific tree)has small thorns on its branches.

[okie64]

The leaves on honeylocust are only about half the size of black locust leaves. Also honeylocust thorns are usually around 3 inches long and black locust thorns about 1/2" long.

[fishfinder401]

that's good to know, i had heard they are the same

[Young Bowyer]

Okay thanks, Gonna need to scout my woods to see for myself first though, just to be sure.

[Stringman]

Honey has long dark banana shaped seed pods. And sometimes has long vicious looking thorns. IMHO honey locust is too brittle to mke a bow with, but ive heard some do use it. It will have a pinkish heart wood. Whereas black will resemble osage except its a shade lighter.

[Young Bowyer]

The locust I see has 1 in thorns, normal leaves, and bit longer than 1 in pods

[fishfinder401]

Honey has long dark banana shaped seed pods. And sometimes has long vicious looking thorns. IMHO honey locust is too brittle to mke a bow with, but ive heard some do use it. It will have a pinkish heart wood. Whereas black will resemble osage except its a shade lighter.

from my experiences, with BL, the heartwood is a dark olive brownish color 

[Strongbow]

Another telling sign besides the thorns is black locust leaves end with an odd unpaired leaflet, while honey locust leaves end with paired leaflets.  Also in spring black locust can be easy to spot because of the bright white flowers.  My area is loaded with black locust but I didn't know it until this past spring when I saw all the blooms.