Dogwood

[HoBow]

My father in law just got a lathe, so I decided to make some dogwood billets (is that what they are called?) .  It was actually quite fun, didn't work out so good!  The ones I've seen look for like clubs that are tapered all the way down, but I made mine more like a mallet.  The wood was had some fish bait (sawyer worms) below the bark, so I had to make it smaller than I planned.  As soon as it was finished, I walked right over to my rock pile and took a swing...one swing...and the top popped off.     Oh well, turned around and took another swing and the bottom popped in half  .  I'm not familiar with dogwood, but this wood looked spalted.  Does anyone know if this is the natureal grain of the wood or did I get some bad wood?  Also, how long are the clubs and how wide at the head?  Thanks for any help!

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[Swamp Bow]

That wood looks spaulted to me too, looks real pretty but weak.  It means that it has been dead and moist long enough for fungus to invade.  If you want a tough as nails dogwood mallet/billet, find a 4-6" at the base diameter tree, and dig up the root ball.  Make your mallet out of the root with the tree trunk as your handle.  Not sure if you can work it green (easier) or have to season it first.  That is what they used to make mallets for beating on froes.  Have fun with the lathe.

Swamp

[Hillbilly]

Yeah, that piece is half rotten.

[HoBow]

The discoloration itself did not feel any different than the white wood.  I thought it could be spaulted, but is that the same as rotten?  Even the head, once it broke off, I tried to break it by beating on some bricks, and it would not chip or break, so it seams pretty firm.  My father in law thought it was the color of the wood itself as he never has seen dogwood cutdown.  I have a few other pieces I'll try. 

[Hillbilly]

It's definitely spalted, which is just a fancy term for half-rotten. Normal dogwood is pinkish-white all the way through with no changes in color. You would find it almost impossible to break a strong seasoned piece of dogwood that size. The reason dogwood works so well for knapping billets is that it's one of the strongest, most impact-resistant woods there is. It's the traditional wood in this area for making wooden wedges for splitting logs. I have a couple dogwood billets that I've used for years and absolutely frammed the bejeezus out of tons of rock without so much as a crack. I mean drawing back over your head and swinging it like you're trying to kill a snake, which is the way you have to hit quartzite and rhyolite. I would steer clear of any that has that discoloration to it.

[HoBow]

Thanks hillbilly for the info. If you get a chance- could you please post some pics of yours with a reference point. Thanks!