I think the hardest American wood in terms of density is Black ironwood, a little known species found in southern Florida. It has a specific gravity of 1.04 and is so heavy it sinks in water.
The softest American wood in terms of density is Corkbark, found in parts of Arizona and New Mexico- gravity 0.28. On Sat, Oct 31, 2009 at 1:11 PM, DON BERTOLETTE <[email protected]>wrote: > Josh- > I guess that 'ironwood' (aka eastern hophornmeam, American hornbeam, Ostrya > virginiana; member of the Betulaceae), member of the doesn't rate in this > exotic group? > -Don > > > Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 08:54:12 -0700 > > > Subject: [ENTS] Re: What's the hardest hardwood? > > From: [email protected] > > To: [email protected] > > > > > > I agree with Gary. In the continental U.S. lignum vitae (Guaiacum > > sanctum) is the hardest and densest wood. Lignum vitae was once found > > in extreme southern Florida and the Keys but is now practically > > extinct due to over harvesting. Of the more temperate species, osage > > orange is the hardest I've worked with, and black locust and hickory > > are the hardest I have easy access to. Of hickory and locust, locust > > is harder but hickory is more flexible and absorbs shock better, which > > is why hickory is so popular for tool handles. Other extremely hard > > species of note are dogwood, persimmon, mesquite (western), hop > > hornbeam, ironwood and sugar maple, in no particular order. > > > > Larry mentioned live oak as the hardest species. I do not think that > > live oak is harder than those listed above but is prized because it > > has such large "crotches"- areas where branches join the main stem. > > These zones of wood have interlocking fibers and and are always the > > hardest part of any individual tree. Old pruned branches are often > > known as "knots" and tend to be very hard. > > > > Cool subject. > > > > Josh > > > > > > > > On Oct 31, 11:21 am, "Gary A. Beluzo" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Jenny, > > > > > > I thought Lignum vitae was the hardest wood, it sinks in water it is > > > so dense, it grows in the tropics. I had a piece from San Salvador > > > Island when I was doing research on stromatolites for my advisor in > > > graduate school. > > > I believe there is an old law on the books regarding either Lignum > > > vitae or Carpinus (not striking your family member with anything that > > > hard!). > > > > > > In Masschusetts I would assume it is "ironwood or musclewood " or > > > Carpinus caroliniana. I know it is the densest wood in New England. > > > > > > Gary > > > > > > Gary A. Beluzo > > > Professor of Environmental Science > > > Division of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics > > > Holyoke Community College > > > 303 Homestead Avenue > > > Holyoke, MA 01040 > > > > > > [email protected] > > > 413 552-2445 > > > > > > On Oct 31, 2009, at 10:59 AM, [email protected] wrote: > > > > > > > But it must be called Ironwood for a reason? Is this Carpinus > > > > caroliniana we're talking about - musclewood because the trunk > > > > contours look like muscles? > > > > > > > Jenny > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > From: Marcboston <[email protected]> > > > > To: ENTSTrees <[email protected]> > > > > Sent: Sat, Oct 31, 2009 9:31 am > > > > Subject: [ENTS] Re: What's the hardest hardwood? > > > > > > > Ironwood! (It is probably not even close to being the hardest but I > > > > cannot help myself.) > > > > > > > On Oct 31, 9:22 am, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> > > > > wrote: > > > > > I have never run into a US wood harder than plains grown and > > > > dried > > > > > Osage orange (Maclura). You could start a campfire with the sparks > > > > > off > > > > > of a chainsaw when cutting it. > > > > > > > > On Oct 30, 8:21 pm, "Edward Frank" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Trivia for wood lovers. There is some hard wood out there, > > > > people. April 11, > > > > 2008 > > > > > > > > >http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/ > > > > What_is_the_Hardest_Wood_on_Ear... > > > > > > > > > Check out my new Blog: http://nature-web-network.blogspot.com/ > > > > (andclick on > > > > some of the ads) > > > > > > ENTS, > > > > > > > > > Quick question. Is hickory the hardest hardwood?- Hide quoted > > > > text - > > > > > > > > - Show quoted text - > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Eastern Native Tree Society http://www.nativetreesociety.org Send email to [email protected] Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/entstrees?hl=en To unsubscribe send email to [email protected] -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
