blackthorn fungi infected- harvest?

[stuckinthemud]

Hi everyone,

I have found a small diameter blackthorn, 4" diameter at the bottom of the section I want to cut, fairly straight, few side-shoots, should make a decent long-bow but there are some mushrooms growing all over the bottom 2' of the tree, directly below the section I want to take.  The tree is still alive at the moment, so how far above the mushrooms would you cut, if at all - is it best to just walk away?

[Pat B]

You will have to cut it and directly inspect the wood. If there are mushrooms on the base of the tree it will probably die soon anyway. I'm not personally familiar with blackthorn so not familiar with how fungi effects it.

[Marc St Louis]

Cut it right above the fungus, you can always trim it after

[stuckinthemud]

do I need to treat the wood with a fungicide or is just drying it out enough?

[Pat B]

Fungi needs moisture. Dry the wood and the fungi goes dormant. Whether the wood has been effected is something you will have to figure out when you start working the wood.

[stuckinthemud]

 fingers crossed the fungus is still quite young and the trunk is only spalted not properly rotted - pretty sure its a white-rot so the wood might be OK.  Will cut it as long as possible and split it then trim it down as necessary; don't want to take the bark off as blackthorn is extremely prone to checking

[Pat B]

Spalting is fungal encroachment thus weakening the wood. I don't know what you mean by white rot but rot is rot!

[stuckinthemud]

yes, if its rotted (a white patch of fungus sitting where the wood used to be) then its only good for firewood, but I think that as long as the spalting is running along the bow, and there's very little of it, then cyano will work as a fix, but yes, the spalting is the mark left where there used to be wood before the fungus ate it.  If its brown rot then its all toast.  If its just spalted but too far gone for a bow, I suppose I can always carve something pretty from it

[Pat B]

Spalted wood is beautiful and great for many projects but IMO not for bows.

[stuckinthemud]

I'm certain you're right, hence the original question, but I can withstand anything except temptation

[Pat B]

Keep us posted with your results. I love being proven wrong. 

[stuckinthemud]

Haven't managed to do that yet

[Dakota Kid]

If the tree is still alive (vegetating), more than likely the fungus is feeding mostly on the bark at this point. If you avoid where the fungus is growing I can't imagine the wood would be that damaged yet, but there's only one way to find out for sure. Good luck.

[mikekeswick]

Blackthorn spalts beautifully and very quickly. I wouldn't bother personally.

[stuckinthemud]

Cut the blackthorn this afternoon, when I split it things were far, far worse than I hoped for; way past spalted, rotten all the way through and all the way along the length, nothing worth saving, even for carving something pretty!  Gone to the neighbour's log pile, at least it'll burn nice and hot