[TheForge] I need a piece of tree...

[Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer]

Thanks Grant; Answers my Q .
I agree about taper being important. The local oaks have nice hard wood 
but it doesn't stand up well as handles. The wood rats just loved the 
black locust i planted with handles in mind....sapling was completely 
gone in 2 days.
Been wondering about some of the eucalyptus species..seems like tough, 
stringy stuff, and very available.   pf

Grant Marcoux wrote:
> Pete:   I have found the key to making sound handles is in how you
> taper.....the more gradual the taper, the more long lasting the handles tend
> to be.  sudden departure in thickness is a killer.
> 
> I also favor ash and oak for handles.  Oak works well provided the grain is
> full and parallel the length of the handle.  This is very true also for ML
> ramrods, where black locust is favored, followed by shagbark hickory.  Osage
> is good but does not have the same shock-load characteristics as the others;
> it would not be my first choice.
> 
> Grain selection is critical
> 
> Grant
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of dan tull
> Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2008 3:05 PM
> To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] I need a piece of tree...
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer" <artgawk at thegrid.net>
> To: <blakkpawss at yahoo.com>; "Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA"
> <theforge at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2008 5:54 PM
> Subject: Re: [TheForge] I need a piece of tree...
> 
> 
>> Question:
>> How does osage orange compare to hickory for handles?
>> I've been fooling around with shaving the necks of certain hammer
>> handles way down. Just as they get really comfy to wield, the darn
>> handle breaks.
>> Would osage tolerate more thinning than hickory?...pf
> 
> Osage orange is the wood of choice for archery bows, therefore would bend
> but not break while thin.YMMV
> 
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