how tough is ironwood?

You may not receive too many replies on this topic. Ironwood is usually referred to as the hardest wood in a specific region. In this part of Texas, it is Bois D'Arc, "properly" pronounced Bodark. Desert ironwood is actually honey mesquite. Now, what's your "ironwood"?

C Wilkins
 
Arizona desert Ironwood,or Olneya Tesota,is the ironwood that you will commonly get from wood suppliers.It used to be cut down for fence posts.Much of it is still holding fence after 100 years.Honey Mesquite is a different species altogether,have one of those in our front yard.We live at 3500'altitude,Ironwood generally will not grow above 2500'.It's habitat is the Sonoran desert s/e CA,southern half of AZ,s/w NM,nothern Mexico.It is very tough and durable,it is also very toxic to work,the dust can cause fungal infections of the lungs leading to pneumonia and even death,wear a respirator.
 
Two years ago I bought some "ironwood" in Mexico near Brownsville Texas. It was very dark brown with just a few light streaks in it.

Last year I went to the same place and bought more "ironwood", but this was much lighter, brown with lots of honey colored streaks in it.

Both woods were VERY hard and ate up bandsaw blades. Seriously, cutting this stuff is almost like cutting cast iron.

Both woods made great handle scales and it was cheap. I think I paid $20 for a chunk 2 feet long and 6 or 8 inches in diameter. I got lots of handle scales out of the 4 chunks I bought.

My question: What "ironwood" have I been buying? Have I bought two distinctly different woods?

Carl
 
Mike,
If thats the case then cut that sucker down and lets see what it looks like! I suppose that I was misinformed on honey mesquite so I sit humbly corrected.

BTW, I've been through Cottonwood while heading up to Jerome. Is desert ironwood very common in Arizona? What we see from the supply houses are usually quite figured. What has been your experience?

C Wilkins
 
I was at a knife and stick fighting seminar where they had some ironwood batons. They were a lot heavier and tougher than the other wood batons. We didn't use them for the seminar. They were just to show us what they were. You could mess someone up real bad with one of those.
 
Dave Ellis,ABS,Mastersmith here. I use a lot a lot of Ironwood burl.
One of my favorite woods,hard on belts but finishes nicely and really does not need sealing,a bit pricey for the burls but well worth it,
Dave
http://www.exquisiteknives.com
 
Carl,most likely it was Ironwood,different parts of the same tree can be quite different in appearence as to color,grain.Craig,yes,it is quite common in AZ,but south of me.It is now illegal to harvest ironwood in this state,unless it is on private property or was a flood washout,even then,you better be able to prove mother nature destroyed it.The limbs tend to be a lot darker than the inner trunk,less figure also.The most colorful,and the best grain would be the root ball,mostly underground,it has the flame orange figure etc.There is a tremendous amount of wastage when you cut up ironwood,as much as 75%to get the good pieces.Because of the current laws in this state and Mexico,Ironwood has become one of the rarer woods of the world,believe it or not.You have better sucess cutting it with a metel cutting band saw and blade,big hunks will eat a regular chainsaw blade in seconds,carbide is the way to go,of coarse the same applies to mesquite and catclaw Acacia,the chainsaw part,I mean.Craig,you ever get thru this way in the future,drop on by,I can see Jerome from our yard.
 
My daily carry Terzuola for the last 2 years has desert ironwood handles and has never dented, cracked , or had any problems. About every few months I throw a coat of Rennassaince wax on them and looks like new.

Dave
 
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