possible american hornbeam?

[Matt A]

i cut down a tree a few days ago that i thought looked like american hornbeam. it was really hard to chop down compared to other trees around, it has a few of the vien looking things on the bark, it's really heavy.

the heartwood is a dark brown and the woodgrain kinda appears to look like oak grain.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Smooth gray bark?

[blackhawk]

that doesnt sound like american hornbeam to me,but i need to see some pics first?

the heartwood isnt dark brown(unless rotted),and the rings are not like oak,and are really small and compact

like i said could you post a couple pics?

[Matt A]

i don't have a camera but, yeah the bark is gray and smooth with a little bit of veins on it like in pics of hornbeam you would see.
      And yeah idk this wood has me confused i've never seen something this hard and dense in minnesota that isn't hop hornbeam.
      I peeled a few pieces tonight and when the bark comes off with just your hands it has a strange abrasive texture under the bark until you rub it down.

[TRACY]

We call it muscle wood or blue beech around here. Never made a bow from it, usually small tree in form.

Tracy

[Pappy]

What Tracy said, Most around looks like a body builders arm,never tried it but if you have piece straight enough I feel sure it would work,I think I have seen a couple on here sometime back. Looks like a beach /smaller and on steroids. 
   Pappy

[blackhawk]

I cant say for sure it is without seeing it,but musclewood is pretty easy to identify by its distinct appearence....i have made a bow from it,which has since been retired now,but shot thousands of arrows

Heres what the back looks like,its been dyed a brown color,and i steel wooled the ridges after dying it to highlight the muscles.
 

And here it is braced hanging on the stump from wence the bow came from

 

If you look to the right limb tip there is an american hornbeam,and another one to its right

[Pappy]

Nice looking bow,and yep that is what we call blue beach.
   Pappy

[Matt A]

it doesn't have nearly as much muscles as that, but a few the tree was about that size. my second thought was buckthorn but no thorns and the bark isn't dark enough or with any flaked kind of holes where a branch grew out if you know what i'm saying.
so i'm out of ideas on this one lol
Aitkin county, north central Minnesota.

[Pat B]

Could it be alder that you cut?

[beetlebailey1977]

This is American Hornbeam.

[Matt A]

the bark looks exactly like that but there isn't nearly as much muscles.
pat maybe but our alder has dark brown bark and isn't very hard. i looked around the area where it was and i couldn't find a single one alike it. i did spy a clump of HHB saplings though  a little twisted though.