Ironwood walking stick

[streak]

Anybody have any experience working with ironwood for walking sticks?
If so what time frame for seasoning and also good perservative coating for it after sanding it smooth? looking to make one about 6-7 feet in length.

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

I thought I read somewhere the other day that ironwood was protected or restricted in some way or another from being harvested?  Perhaps not.  I couldn't find it.


Alan

[oldandslow]

Ironwood doesn't need a preserative and doubt one will dry on it although I've never tried to use a presertative. Just sand it down through 600 grit and then buff with a very mild buffing compound. I use white rouge and not a lot of pressure on the buffing wheel. I have no idea where to obtain what you want. I use it for knife handles and considering the cost of those I wouldn't want to buy any large pieces.

[streak]

Ironwood doesn't need a preserative and doubt one will dry on it although I've never tried to use a presertative. Just sand it down through 600 grit and then buff with a very mild buffing compound. I use white rouge and not a lot of pressure on the buffing wheel. I have no idea where to obtain what you want. I use it for knife handles and considering the cost of those I wouldn't want to buy any large pieces.

I can find it in the wild!
Lot`s of it!!

[Buckskin]

We have lots of it here also... Hunting buddy made one similar to the one that you are desiring.

[streak]

We have lots of it here also... Hunting buddy made one similar to the one that you are desiring.

Do you know if he let it dry and season in any particular set up?

[Buckskin]

To my knowledge he just cut to desired length, skinned the bark and sanded to his liking.  Also put a leather wrap around for the handle.  That stuff is so tough, I really don't think you can do it wrong.  I guess if you're concerned you could cut it now, let it dry for the winter in the house and doll it up in the spring.

[bilmac]

Regretably when we lived in Az. I didn't play with it, all I used it for was excellent firewood. Is it true that it actually sinks in water.? I've also heard that you almost have to use metal working tools on it.

[streak]

First time I ever encountered ironwood was hunting squirrels in N.W. Louisiana near Black Bayou many many moons ago!
This would have been back in the mid to late 50`s. My daddy told before we got into the woods to watch the ironwood trees for cat squirrels because at that particular time of the year they were cutting ironwood. Sure enough, when I found a stand of ironwood chances were  good that I got into the squirrels. A few weeks ago I was reading an article in the Backwoodsman Magazine and a guy had written an article on his ironwood walking stick that he had made. So thought it would be an interesting project to delve in to! As I had already made one out of shagbark hickory which turned out great. Not only a good walking stick but a good offensive and defensive weapon! The one I plan to make out of ironwood would be as mentioned about 6-7 feet in length. I don`t know how it`s weight compares with hickory but if it is comparable it should be ok.
 

[Buckskin]

It is quite heavy adn would probably make an even better weapon as it would never break... Shag bark is a tough wood too, but not like ironwood.

[streak]

Thanks for the input guys!
Looks like I need to start my search for a good stand of ironwood!

[Graybeard]

I really didn't and guess I still don't know what "ironwood" is or what specific tree you're talking about. So I looked it up on wiki and here is what I found. So what tree are you calling ironwood?

IronwoodFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaJump to: navigation, search
For other uses, see Ironwood (disambiguation).
Ironwood is a common name for a large number of woods that have a reputation for hardness. Usage of the name may (or may not) include the tree that yields this wood. Some of the species involved are:

Acacia estrophiolata, Southern ironwood
Androstachys johnsonii, Lebombo ironwood
Carpinus caroliniana, American hornbeam
Casuarina equisetifolia, Common ironwood from Australia
Casuarinaceae (she-oaks) in general
Chionanthus foveolatus , Pock ironwood from South Africa
Choricarpia subargentea, Giant ironwood
Copaifera spp., Diesel Tree, Kerosene Tree, Kupa'y, Cabismo, or Copaúva
Diospyros blancoi, Mabolo, Velvet Apple, or Kamagong native to the Philippines
Erythrophleum chlorostachys, Cooktown ironwood from Australia.
Eusideroxylon zwageri, Borneo ironwood
Guaiacum officinale, Lignum vitae
Guaiacum sanctum, Holywood
Holodiscus discolor, Creambrush
Hopea odorata, White thingan, Ceylon or Malabar ironwood
Krugiodendron ferreum, Black Ironwood
Lophira alata, Red ironwood
Lyonothamnus floribundus, Lyon tree
Mesua ferrea, Rose chestnut or Ceylon ironwood or Nahar
Nestegis apetala, Coastal maire, Broad-leaved maire or Ironwood
Olea spp., Various olive trees
Olneya tesota, Desert ironwood
Ostrya virginiana, Hop hornbeam
Parrotia persica, Persian ironwood
Tabebuia serratifolia, Yellow poui
Vepris lanceolata, The White ironwood tree of South Africa
Xanthostemon verdugonianus, Philippine Ironwood or Mangkono, endemic to the Philippines

[streak]

Graybeard,
Probably would be either the eastern hop hornbean( Chittham wood) also known as eastern ironwood, or another close relative is called American hornbean.

[oldandslow]

The only ironwood I'm familiar with is the Arizona variety and if Google is correct it is Olneya tesota commonly called desert ironwood. It  works well with hand tools but take lots of energy. It seems to use up tools about as quickly as honey mesquite. Both are very tough woods. Grain in either can run from plain to really intricate.
 
I spent some time in Arizon in the winters several years ago with a bunch of co----people from Louisiana and they hauled in lots of ironwood for firewood. I wish I had just one trailer load that went up in smoke.

[streak]

The only ironwood I'm familiar with is the Arizona variety and if Google is correct it is Olneya tesota commonly called desert ironwood. It  works well with hand tools but take lots of energy. It seems to use up tools about as quickly as honey mesquite. Both are very tough woods. Grain in either can run from plain to really intricate.
 
I spent some time in Arizon in the winters several years ago with a bunch of co----people from Louisiana and they hauled in lots of ironwood for firewood. I wish I had just one trailer load that went up in smoke.

Well oldandslow,
I am originally from Louisiana and there is alot of ironwood in the N.W. area where I came from. In all of my time in that part of the country I never heard of anyone using ironwood in their fireplaces. Most of the time was hickory,oak( especially red oak), pine or cedar( not for me), sweet gum, etc. Anyway I go back to E.Texas and N.W. Louisiana every fall, so will check around with the locals and see if they ever use ironwood for th eir fireplaces! If  they use it in Arizona, I don`t see why it could not be used in E.Texas or Louisiana!!

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

Check some of the prices for Desert Ironwood and that trailer load of firewood will make you cry.


Alan

[Buckskin]

Hop hornbeam is what we have in Wisconsin, called that because the seeds look similar to hops. 

[oldandslow]

The only ironwood I'm familiar with is the Arizona variety and if Google is correct it is Olneya tesota commonly called desert ironwood. It  works well with hand tools but take lots of energy. It seems to use up tools about as quickly as honey mesquite. Both are very tough woods. Grain in either can run from plain to really intricate.
 
I spent some time in Arizon in the winters several years ago with a bunch of co----people from Louisiana and they hauled in lots of ironwood for firewood. I wish I had just one trailer load that went up in smoke.

Well oldandslow,
I am originally from Louisiana and there is alot of ironwood in the N.W. area where I came from. In all of my time in that part of the country I never heard of anyone using ironwood in their fireplaces. Most of the time was hickory,oak( especially red oak), pine or cedar( not for me), sweet gum, etc. Anyway I go back to E.Texas and N.W. Louisiana every fall, so will check around with the locals and see if they ever use ironwood for th eir fireplaces! If  they use it in Arizona, I don`t see why it could not be used in E.Texas or Louisiana!!

We would camp a few miles west of Quartzite in the hills. These guys kept a campfire going from early in the morning until late at night. Don't know about fireplaces.

[blind ear]

You might find some info on cureing it in a book on makeing self bows. It was/is a favorite for makeing bows. ear

[streak]

You might find some info on cureing it in a book on makeing self bows. It was/is a favorite for makeing bows. ear

Thanks ear!
If you miss your bowshot and fast enough( which I aint) you could catch`em and blundgeon them!!

[streak]

Graybeard,
After checking with some of the locals in N.W. Louisiana, the species is more than likely Ostrya virginiana.

[Alan R McDaniel Jr]

Isn't there some kind of forum rule that pictures have to be posted within 25 posts?


Alan

[Singleshotsam]

This is curious to me.  Back in my teen years I was helping my father clear brush on our farm.  I came across a sapling he had cut down which was very straight and was insanely dense.  Dad told me it was called Ironwood, and back in the old days of wooden battleships, it was very much desired to use as an early armor plating to protect the hull of a ship from cannonball strikes.  Whether that's actually true or not I have no idea, but the principle seems sound.

[bilmac]

The open grown trees in the desert are entirely different. It would be hard to find a long enough piece straight enough to make a walking stick. Make lumber suitable for boat building, forget about it.