Hornbeam?

[Muskyman]

We had a major storm come through the other night and blew trees down all over the place and while cutting up a big one in my woods I noticed this tree about 4-5 inches in diameter that was pushed over by a huge tree and kinda uprooted. I’m thinking it might be hornbeam. Any thoughts

[Pappy]

Looks like Blue beach to me, not HHB, some call it muscle wood or American horn beam. Pappy

[Muskyman]

Okay, I think I’ve seen it mentioned on here before. Does it make a good bow?
Whatever it is, it’s really heavy wood. Also has a very thin bark on it.
I put a couple more pics on here for what it’s worth.. piece is 9 ft long.

[Pat B]

I've never used it but I've heard it is marginal at best as a bow wood.

[Muskyman]

Either way, I kept it and sealed the ends.. I might try and make a bow out of it someday. I’ve still got some  staves I can play with so I’m not really hurting for wood right now. I might try and get some more Osage this fall and maybe some more hickory this summer while the bark will peel off. Just thought it might be hornbeam and figured I ask those in the know.
I guess just take the bark off and that would be the back of the bow, like hickory.

[Pappy]

I have tried it a few time, and yes it will make a bow, pretty brittle, just go a little wider and longer, and yes just take the bark off and seal the back or it can check pretty bad. Hard to find a piece straight enough around here, lots of twist and humps, probably not the greatest bow wood but better than no bow wood. 
 Pappy

[ajooter]

Looks like Blue beach to me, not HHB, some call it muscle wood or American horn beam. Pappy

Agreed

[bassman211]

Best to de crown the back , and back it . It makes a very good bow. I use sinew, but raw hide would probably work also. I have made a couple dozen bows from it from 50 inches to 64 inches long. It is blue beech.

[Jim Davis]

I have not used American hornbeam/blue beech yet, but have some curing. HAVE used HHB and liked it. Back was warty and ridged but I did not decrown it and it worked fine. Treat it like hickory.

[bassman211]

Try that with blue beech , and shooting it through time the back will give way on the high ridges, but it takes heat as good as elm, and the belly never frets. HHB is a different animal, and is not the same species. Best to decrown blue beech, and back it. The back will let go before the belly frets if you make a self bow in my experience. If you back it it makes a fine bow that is durable, and will bend ,and keep it's shape better than HHB even with dry heat.