Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

I seem to remember that hophornbeam wood (ironwood) is (was, at least, back when this stuff was hand-made by the craftsmen that used the tools) used for tool handles and plane bodies because it is dense and very hard. Tree doesn't get big enough to make big stuff from it. Don't hold me to that, but I think it's probably right.

A buddy of mine still makes big handmade planes out of sawn beech. Being as they're in the same family I could buy that. A feller could also roll with osage, boxwood , dogwood or persimmon if he couldn't get his hands on any ironwood. There again, if he's looking at it from a planting aspect, those might not suit .

I have no idea if there's any market for hophornbeam. But I've seen where beaver had cut everything all around one and left it there.

Mamabear, if you're going fullscale pioneer, you've got a lot of studying to do!

I'm pretty certain there is a strong market for hops, though. I'm considering trying some of those next year...

Have we hijacked this thread yet?

Palladin wrote:A buddy of mine still makes big handmade planes out of sawn beech. Being as they're in the same family I could buy that. A feller could also roll with osage, boxwood , dogwood or persimmon if he couldn't get his hands on any ironwood. There again, if he's looking at it from a planting aspect, those might not suit .

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Be a shame to cut down persimmon trees. Need to let them grow persimmons. They're so damn good dropped into a quart of moonshine and left to soak for a spell.

Beaver up this way have carbide teeth...

dorminWS wrote:
Be a shame to cut down persimmon trees. Need to let them grow persimmons. They're so damn good dropped into a quart of moonshine and left to soak for a spell.

If you leave them in there too long the mouth of the jar will pucker down and you won't be able to pour any out.

Palladin wrote:

dorminWS wrote:
Be a shame to cut down persimmon trees. Need to let them grow persimmons. They're so damn good dropped into a quart of moonshine and left to soak for a spell.

If you leave them in there too long the mouth of the jar will pucker down and you won't be able to pour any out.

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I wouldn't know about that. I've never left it in the jar very long.

Turkey hunters love them 'simmon trees. As I recall, they are a relative of ebony.
The ironwood also makes for good walking sticks. I thought of forming some for twisted growth but became otherwise entertained.

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A'ight. Ironwood that I'm used to has a solid dark grey bark with ridges in it... doesn't grow very tall, but as dorm said "Beaver hate it".

Has to do with the tanin in the bark, it's like iodine when you strip it down. I appreciate the genus list, I'll peruse...

What it's used for in planting is a mixed grid barrier. Because of the root systems, and the hardness, mix bamboo in the wet areas because of density of growth, then ironwood, coupled with short height cedar/fir trees... leave for 5-10-15 years...

You've in effect built a natural wall that doesn't require any maintenance, or care.

Gotta get the briars tamed on the BACK side as "Gawd's own barbed wire", and pull the gum trees out by the roots, and keep the tree fall outta the path, but otherwise? You're looking at 25-45 yards of "Ain't anyone getting thru that easily!"

Also makes animals take the paths you've BUILT! (Animals are lazy too) IE: TRAPS!

L. I. B. Who'd a thunk it?

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Palladian I have been studying on this practically my whole life. In my childhood I spent two years on my grandparents 200 acre ranch. Five years ago I wanted to buy a home out in the country.....when it came time to buy I was 41 (not kidding) weeks pregnant and just a wanted a house any house. So my husband picked a nice house on a 1/4 acre lot.....ugh.

I gave spent at least the past seven years buying and reading book after book after book and scouring the web. My research is by no means over, but I feel that I might have what it takes.

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I trust you've already had the little ones up on field trips to the http://www.frontiermuseum.org/ ?

You know it has been about 4 years since our last visit. We should go again. Perhaps this spring or late winter.

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The FCM would be a good field trip. I always want to play with the Gluckshaus board at the German house, though.

The Hite Hollow range is about 20 minutes from it.

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I feel upset that I've lived in VA practically my whole life and never heard of the frontier museum before. Spring trip all set!

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American Ironwood aka...Black Locust . Great or fence post and also was used in boat building. Will not rot ! Very dense and extremely hard. It's wood is beautiful with Black and Yellow streaks throughout. It's the only tree that I've seen Beavers avoid ! Chain Saws even have a tough time cutting it. On my Grand Fathers farm in Rockville , he had about 20 acres of nothing but Locust...I spent several summers and MANY Saturdays cutting fence post with him. When all of the other Farmers were taking veggies to the Farmers Market on weekends , we would show up with a pickup load of Locust post....We never brought any home.
There is a lot of different woods all out the world called "Ironwood".

Interesting. I really need a good book on tree identification. I can is the major kinds, but the more rare ones I have a grader time with.

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mamabearCali wrote:Interesting. I really need a good book on tree identification. I can is the major kinds, but the more rare ones I have a grader time with.

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If you find one that describes best uses for various woods, that's the book you want.

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