Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Stringman on March 31, 2013, 11:52:18 am

Title: HHB?
Post by: Stringman 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.

(http://i1311.photobucket.com/albums/s670/cotton7611/DE0ACA8D-80BD-48DB-B93C-EEEC07BBCD54-6785-00000A3AF7FB78F4_zps743089af.jpg)
(http://i1311.photobucket.com/albums/s670/cotton7611/F2C5676A-94BC-41DD-8F20-1977BAA6D776-6785-00000A3AFDC738AB_zps514103b8.jpg)
(http://i1311.photobucket.com/albums/s670/cotton7611/7D0182A9-B89A-48A3-A7D3-9C9E1DE77F49-6785-00000A3B0571C70D_zps855e3f13.jpg)

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

Scott

Title: Re: HHB?
Post by: TacticalFate on March 31, 2013, 12:22:55 pm

yup, looks like Eastern HopHornbeam to me, Ostrya Virginiana, the bark is a giveaway

Title: Re: HHB?
Post by: richardzane 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.

Title: Re: HHB?
Post by: lostarrow on March 31, 2013, 02:07:38 pm

Yep, HHB! Looks  and works alot like hard maple or yellow birch.

Title: Re: HHB?
Post by: half eye 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

Title: Re: HHB?
Post by: Stringman 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

Title: Re: HHB?
Post by: ksnow 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

Title: Re: HHB?
Post by: blackhawk 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

Title: Re: HHB?
Post by: osage outlaw 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.

Title: Re: HHB?
Post by: Stringman 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