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Author Topic: Roadside find  (Read 3331 times)

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Offline Swampman

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Roadside find
« on: March 05, 2020, 08:07:00 pm »
The last two days I drove past a section of a County Road where I noticed a bunch of trees cut down. About half of the trees cut had all been reduced to chips.  I am sure the highway crew will be back to finish chipping the rest but I salvaged one log yesterday and one today. 

The log yesterday I figured out was black locust.  It was an 80 inch log that looked straight as can be but when I split it last night it had a really bad twist.  I will probably only get 2 bows out of that log so that was a little disappointing. 

Today I stopped and picked up a 75 inch log that was 9 inches in diameter.  I about passed out loading that log into my vehicle.  It was very heavy.  When I got home I split this log.  I just about passed out again splitting this log.  I figured out that this log was ironwood.  The 4 splits on the right in the photo are the iron wood.  I should be able to get at least 2 bows out of each of those splits.  The 2 on the left are the black locust.  All in all it was a pretty good find.
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Offline PatM

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Re: Roadside find
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2020, 08:11:26 pm »
What type of "Ironwood"?
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Roadside find
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2020, 08:16:40 pm »
Quote from: PatM on March 05, 2020, 08:11:26 pm
What type of "Ironwood"?

I guess I only know of one kind in MN which is Ostrya virginiana.  It grows all over in the understory in SE MN. 

I guess another name for this is hop hornbeam.  My tree is book only lists it as ironwood
« Last Edit: March 05, 2020, 08:25:21 pm by Swampman »
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Offline PatM

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Re: Roadside find
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2020, 08:25:45 pm »
 Can you post a close up?
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Roadside find
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2020, 09:01:05 pm »
Here are a couple of close ups. 

Do you think it is something else?
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Offline PatM

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Re: Roadside find
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2020, 09:04:40 pm »
That doesn't look like HHB.
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Roadside find
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2020, 09:11:09 pm »
It definitely smells like it and splits just like other known iron wood that I have cut before.  It has interlocking grain and a pleasant smell.  I am sure I could be wrong as there were no leaves or branches to help identify it.

What do you think it looks like Pat?
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Offline PatM

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Re: Roadside find
« Reply #7 on: March 05, 2020, 09:19:33 pm »
Looks more like Elm.
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Roadside find
« Reply #8 on: March 05, 2020, 09:26:01 pm »
It does split like elm too but the elm I have cut before had a pretty unpleasant smell.  This definitely smells like other iron wood i have cut (that I was able to positively identify with a book in hand). 

Whatever it is I am pretty confident it is bow wood!
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Offline PatM

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Re: Roadside find
« Reply #9 on: March 05, 2020, 09:34:21 pm »
Elm can smell awful or just like HHB.
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Roadside find
« Reply #10 on: March 05, 2020, 09:38:43 pm »
The elm I smelled before smelled awful.  I didn't know that it could actually have a pleasant smell so that is good to know. 

I am equally happy if it is elm or ironwood.  A good find either way.  Thanks for your input Pat.
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Offline chamookman

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Re: Roadside find
« Reply #11 on: March 06, 2020, 02:07:57 am »
That's not HHB - Elm. Bob
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"May the Gods give Us the strength to draw the string to the cheek, the arrow to the barb and loose the flying shaft, so long as life may last." Saxon Pope - 1923.

Online bjrogg

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Re: Roadside find
« Reply #12 on: March 06, 2020, 05:01:30 am »
I agree. It’s not Hop Hornbeam.  Hop has a very thin flaky bark.
Bjrogg
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Offline Weylin

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Re: Roadside find
« Reply #13 on: March 06, 2020, 07:19:51 am »
Another vote for not being HHB. The bark definitely doesn't look right.
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Offline bassman

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Re: Roadside find
« Reply #14 on: March 06, 2020, 07:26:17 am »
It is not American Hornbeam for sure which is some times called Iron wood, muscle wood ,etc,etc. . The Black Locust is a good find. It can lay cut for a long time ,and still make a  very good bow. I made 4 successful bows out of a road side Black Locust find that are some of my best shooters.Good for  you.
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