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Author Topic: HHB?  (Read 1923 times)

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Stringman

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HHB?
« on: March 31, 2013, 11:52:18 am »
John just brought me a section of a tree he cut down the other day. He called it HHB, but I have no experience with the wood. I wonder if anyone can positively ID this stick for us. It was tough as heck to split, but turned out a couple nice staves. Very stringy and seems fairly dense.





Got em peeled and sealed now just waiting for some moisture to leave before I work em down to close.

Scott
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Offline TacticalFate

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Re: HHB?
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2013, 12:22:55 pm »
yup, looks like Eastern HopHornbeam to me, Ostrya Virginiana, the bark is a giveaway
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Offline richardzane

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Re: HHB?
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2013, 12:33:09 pm »
it looks and splits alot like elm to me, but i don't know anything about hophornbeam
so i can't compare.
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Offline lostarrow

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Re: HHB?
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2013, 02:07:38 pm »
Yep, HHB! Looks  and works alot like hard maple or yellow birch.
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Offline half eye

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Re: HHB?
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2013, 02:22:53 pm »
No doubt that's ironwood (hhb) have cut a lot of that stuff. In this old man's opinion it's my favorite bow wood, along with the elm's, bar none.
rich
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Stringman

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Re: HHB?
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2013, 02:42:48 pm »
Well, good! That's the response I was hoping to get. Now, I peeled the bark with a draw knife and I might have cut thru a ring in a couple places. Should I try to chase a ring or does it need it? Or is a backing in order?

Scott
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Offline ksnow

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Re: HHB?
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2013, 03:05:06 pm »
If you have not sealed the back, please do so ASAP.  I lost my first two HHB trees beacuase I peeled them, and they checked horrible, within a day or two.  It is an awesome bow woood, very dense.  Those look like fine pieces, they usually have a twist to them.  Have fun with those.

Kyle
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blackhawk

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Re: HHB?
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2013, 03:11:09 pm »
Scott...hhb  is diffuse porous...meaning there is no crunchy porous early wood and the rings are always very thin...chasing a ring on hhb wood be maddening...where are your violations and how bad? Might need rawhide or such if its in a working portion of the limbs and more than just a lil oops...throwing a backing down would be much easier than trying to chase a ring
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Offline osage outlaw

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Re: HHB?
« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2013, 05:07:25 pm »
I love HHB.  Its my second favorite behind osage.  It is very hard wood.  It seems harder than osage to work.  I have tried dry heat to flip the tips on HHB twice and failed both times.  I am going to use steam from now on.  Good luck with it.
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Stringman

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Re: HHB?
« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2013, 05:12:56 pm »
They are sealed with Elmer's glue so no worries there (back and ends.) and the ring violations. If indeed they are, will be minor so I will just wait and see where they end up In the stave. I'm thinking let them dry for a month and then cut the down to near dimension and then go from there. May bring one to the classic. Should I be worried about the high crown?

Scott
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