Some failure mechanics of Ironwood (hop-hornbeam)

[half eye]

Hey fellas,
      was roughing out some sticks today and had an Ironwood stave that had a little funus problem dead center. So I though I would bend it to failure and take some pics. Think of it as a visual of the failure mechanics, I guess.
      The first one is the original failure which did not occure until the limbs was damned near to touching.....and even then it did not "explode" just sort of gently folded....
      Second and third are pics of the same piece that I pulled off, and then bent them till they broke.....one was a "counter-flex" and the other was bending to the belly.

What struck me was the tenacity of the wood, even though this was not full strength wood. Hope this may help some of you that wondered about it.....picture is worth a thousand words,eh
rich

Mod's feel free to move if ya want this someplace else.
rich

[Slackbunny]

HHB is tough stuff. Sometimes you need to bend a piece completely over before it will break.

[rps3]

I have had more hhb bows break on me than any other wood, it is definetly my Achilles heal.

[Slackbunny]

I have had more hhb bows break on me than any other wood, it is definetly my Achilles heal.

Hmm, I've had quite the opposite experience with it. I've found that instead of breaking it will just take massive set. I wonder if there are regional differences, or maybe different sub-species that show different characteristics. Maybe you've just had bad luck with the staves you've acquired.

[Dances with squirrels]

My favorite white wood.

[half eye]

All I was trying to do here is let everybody "see" how the Ironwood "let-go".....the manner of it. Not trying to comment on it's suitability ( even though I personally love the stuff) The way it broke indicated to me that the stuff really try's to stay together, and that @ break resembled the other
, which I believe shows pretty even consistency. Just hoped to get some use out of a piece that's headed for the smoker
rich

[Ed Brooks]

I see the same break with Ocean Spray.

[half eye]

Now that's good to know. Never worked with the wood but what I see posted it's damned fine bow wood.
rich

[rps3]

From what has been shown around here, I am sure iron wood is suitable for bow wood, I am just not yet suited for iron wood. Going to keep working on it though, I have one roughed out now ready to start bending.

[PEARL DRUMS]

From your standing dead batch Rich?

[half eye]

yes this was some standing dead.
rich

[Thesquirrelslinger]

All I was trying to do here is let everybody "see" how the Ironwood "let-go".....the manner of it. Not trying to comment on it's suitability ( even though I personally love the stuff) The way it broke indicated to me that the stuff really try's to stay together, and that @ break resembled the other
, which I believe shows pretty even consistency. Just hoped to get some use out of a piece that's headed for the smoker
rich

That is about how honeysuckle breaks. at least the stuff big enough to make a bow.