Replies

1. 
   datachanel | Aug 31, 2004 07:09pm | #1

   Here's a suggestion. Does hornbeam grow in your area? could you call a local saw mill and get a couple of pieces? IT would probably be green so you would have to dry it, but it may be an option.

   Datachanel

   Doing things the hard way

1. 
   Ethan | Sep 01, 2004 05:27pm | #5

   Thanks - I'll have to check on that. Was hoping to not have to wait, but the way I'm going lately, it'll be dried and seasoned long before I get to it!!

1. 
   jonsherryl | Sep 01, 2004 05:41pm | #6

   Ethan, hop-hormbeam is an extremely dense and relatively fine textured wood. And it's very appropriate for use in tool handles (chisels, etc). But if it's a striking tool, such as a hammer, hickory is the better choice, because of its elasticity and shock aborbing qualities.

   Hop-hormbeam is a member of the birch family, which is not known for its elasticity.

1. 
   Ethan | Sep 01, 2004 09:40pm | #7

   Thanks Jon, I guess I should have specified - the wood is for a box of old Stanley 750's that I got dirt cheap because they have no handles. This exercise in wood education started because I saw a picture of the L-N chisel set and really like the look of the handles...

   BTW, I've really enjoyed your past posts and have learned very much. Thanks for your willingness to contribute here and benefit those of us just starting out!

   Regards, Ethan

1. 
   jonsherryl | Sep 02, 2004 01:32am | #8

   >>'BTW, I've really enjoyed your past posts and have learned very much. Thanks for your willingness to contribute here and benefit those of us just starting out!"<<

   Thanks, Ethan. Sure do wish the Liberals over in the Cafe felt that way. :O)

   If you have trouble running down hop-hormbeam, you might want to consider dogwood. In many ways it would be the superior choice. It is finer textured, has excellent shaping characteristics and it develops a natural surface polish the more it is handled. There are a couple of lesser known tropical species native to extreme southern Florida that would rival dogwood, but among our more plentiful native hardwoods dogwood is hard to beat for this purpose.

2. 
   Ethan | Sep 02, 2004 11:27pm | #12

   Thanks to everyone for your input!

   Actually, I had an inspiration that has worked out.....since it was a look at the (relatively) new L-N chisels in their catalog that got me going on the hornbeam, I shot them an email to inquire about buying from them.

   I'm happy to say, I have a more than sufficient supply of hornbeam on the way for what I consider a very reasonable price. Heck, I can't afford most of L-N's stuff (right now), but I've bought a few items from them and this is my 2nd "unusual" request. L-N has always given me what I consider SUPERIOR customer service - and that's the major point of this post - thanks go out to L-N from this very satisfied customer.

   Some of the big boys in the industry do a really good job at customer service (LV, Woodcraft), but many do not. It's nice to have such a positive experience with a smaller company.

   Now, Jon (Arno),  where do I find some dogwood..........

   Regards, Ethan

3. 
   jonsherryl | Sep 03, 2004 03:05am | #13

   Ethan, I've gone back through this thread and couldn't pick up any mention by you of where you are located.

   If you're anywhere in the lower Midwest, or along the Atlantic seaboard, from the latitude of Kentucky on south to the Gulf, You should be able to walk to the nearest dogwood tree. This is not an important commercial timber, but it's very easy to forage for it.

   If you can't find it on your own, I'd suggest you Google: "International Wood Collectors Society" or "IWCS".  Making contact with this organization is one of the best ways to locate small quantities of even the rarest and most unusual woods anywhere in the world. It's where I've sourced the oysterwood I use in my dulcimer making...and, over the years, by trading (and/or buy-sell) with members of this group it's helped me amass a collection of wood samples numbering around 400 species.  

   Edited 9/2/2004 8:07 pm ET by Jon Arno

4. 
   UncleDunc | Sep 03, 2004 04:24am | #14

   Google for these search strings. A lot of the hits are eBay listings, but there are also quite a few that aren't.

   "dogwood lumber"

   dogwood "turning blank"

   dogwood "turning blanks"

   dogwood "turning block"

   dogwood "turning blocks"

5. 
   jvs | Sep 02, 2004 04:15am | #9

   Just a thought--if the hop hornbeam works out, that sounds like a great way to go, but for easy-to-get wood for everyday stuff that will take a beating, you might take another look at hickory.  Broken axe handles (or even ~$5 new ones at any  borg or Wal-Mart in the country) yield four or five, and they hold up great.

   Mr. Arno; thoughts about how padauk would hold up for chisel handles?  I have some short 8/4 stuff begging for use in something, and a small handful of old tang and socket chisels (mix of parer, light striking, and bench) waiting for wood.

   /jvs

6. 
   jonsherryl | Sep 02, 2004 06:53am | #10

   JV, padauk isn't a particularly good choice for this purpose. It certainly has adequate density, but it's too coarse textured. You want a dense, fine textured wood with good shaping characteristics...and preferably one that tends to self polish when hand rubbed. The rosewoods are great, but they're awfully expensive for this utilitarian application...and they are potentially toxic, if the woodworker has an extreme sensitivity to their extractives. For some people, even touching rosewood can cause a rash.

   On functional (and price-value) grounds, dogwood is a very good choice. Boxwood is also good. It's often used in Europe and it's now naturalized (as a hedge species) here along our eastern seaboard...Also, some of the woods in the hawthorn clan work well...such as the western "mountain mahoganies"; Cercocarpus spp.

   My personal favorite among domestic species would be a rare and little known wood from southern Florida called oysterwood; Gymnathes lucida. It's ultra fine textured and exceptionally dense. The sapwood, which makes up most of the log, looks and feels like ivory...and the heartwood is a deep brown in color with a variegated, marble-like figure. I occasionally use it in very small quantities for the nuts and bridges on some of my dulcimers.

   There are, of course, dozens of other tropical exotics that also make good tool handles...but I think the intent of this thread centers primarily on our domestic choices. 

   Edited 9/1/2004 11:56 pm ET by Jon Arno

7. 
   jvs | Sep 02, 2004 08:42am | #11

   Ah--I was thinking more of the density and toughness than coarseness.  Hickory's grain never bothered me for striking handles, but padauk is definitely further along that path (at least the stuff I have).

   The price of dogwood certainly is right, at a 10 minute drive to my in-laws, but the cost will be a day or so of manual labor and landscaping... sounds like a better option even at that.  Thanks!

   /jvs

2. 
   DavidxDoud | Aug 31, 2004 07:11pm | #2

   Hornbeam or Hop-Hornbeam? - - I have both in the woods,  and Hop-h in the shop - e-mail me your needs,  we can negotiate....

   "there's enough for everyone"
3. 
   plantlust | Sep 01, 2004 04:36am | #3

   You got a botanical name on that?

   Ironwood/Hornbeam/Hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana)

   or

   Bluebeech/Musclewood/Hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana)

   Using the botanical Latin might give you a better hit on google.

   Perfect beef stew, perfect meatloaf and perfect wine jelly.
   How difficult can perfecting creme brulee be?

1. 
   Ethan | Sep 01, 2004 05:25pm | #4

   Thanks for the tip! Not really well versed in the botanical name genre, so I hadn't thought of trying the search that way.