Hawthorn, whats it good for?

[tombear]

Hi Folks
while I was laid up with The Foot, the eldest took down a Hawthorn in the back lot that had been snided with ivy when we moved in and didn't recover when we removed the vines. In vain hope we let it stand for a year or few to see if it would recover but not a leaf has shown so to make room for the whips we put in last winter it got the chop.


I'm pretty sure it was a hawthorn and now I have a 42 inch log which seams to have seasoned by itself. Ive decoded to make a big, heavy walking stick with one piece but what can I use the rest for, bar fire wood?

It was just too wide to cut with the power saws I have so I have been using child labour to cut it with a big old rip saw I restored.

Ive since started the second cut to make the stick, but there will be plenty left, the dark stuff is as hard as the light.

Any thoughts?

ATB

Tom

 

[Goatboy]

How about the ubiquitous spoon? Or coasters, mini bowls/kuskas, ladles, a wall mounted wood spirit, a nice box, cheese boards, loads of stuff.

 

[BearInTheWoods]

Axe helves? Not sure how flexible it is but it would be nice to see a British alternative to American Hickory.

 

[Turnip]

It can make some quite nice knife scales/ handles. and as already said, bowls kuskas etc

 

[JohnC]

How about the Lucet that was mentioned somewhere on here recently?

 

[Macaroon]

I don't think your arm or your hand would thank you for a Hawthorn helve; although extremely strong and durable it doesn't have much spring to it and is what you'd call "static".................

The British alternative to American Hickory is British Ash - I think it superior if well chosen and made..........................................atb mac

 

[BearInTheWoods]

I don't think your arm or your hand would thank you for a Hawthorn helve; although extremely strong and durable it doesn't have much spring to it and is what you'd call "static".................

The British alternative to American Hickory is British Ash - I think it superior if well chosen and made..........................................atb mac

Cheers, every day's a school day.

 

[Dave Budd]

i use hawthorn a lot Mostly for knife handles, but I have used it as an axe handle and lots of other tool handles. Makes a nice spoon, bowl and other treen (I can cut a steak with one of my hawthorn spoons!). it does make good firewood as well, if all else fails


If you can get a piece that is twist and crack free, it should make a nice bow. ( a very good bowyer friend of mine is waiting for me to find him such a piece)

 

[tombear]

Great ideas and info folks, thanks! I just happen to have my charity shop lathe set up and do have a weakness for treen! It's really tough stuff, our shoulders are really feeling it and all we have done is split it in two and then halved one of them so I have a blank to trim down into walking/hitting stick. This bits pretty much twist and crack free. How long would you need for a bow? (I only know a bit about long ones and zip about short jobs.)

atb

Tom

 

[HHazeldean]

That looks like a very nice decent sized piece. My advice would be to just experiment around and have a go at exploring some new things to make. Knife and other tool handles would be good, along with a lot of carved/turned items

 

[lannyman8]

i cant remember where but i watched a how too, on a hawthorn bow, very very nice bow, and the colour in the wood is awesome when oiled up....

 

[mrcharly]

That log doesn't look like hawthorn. Hawthorn has a fleck to it, a bit like the medullary rays in oak. Maybe they just don't show up on the sawn surface.

 

[ozzy1977]

it would carve nicely in to chess pieces or netting needles

 

[Tat2trev]

Make some nice egg cups great for camping as they are very small for the pack or the kitchen

 

[tombear]

First thing made a 41.5 inch heavy walking stick, its swallowing linseed oil by the bucket and indeed a fleck is visable now. It works very well I must say.

Pic was looking a bit bare so I included the tools i used except a small surform which did a lovely job between the blades and the sandpaper . I actually didn't use the draw knives much at all, it was nearly all done with the rip saw, big Nessy and Mora. Theres a vast amount of shavings to bag up for tinder and I will reshape the handle once I have used it, will probably add a hole for a leather lanyard.

On to the next make!

ATB

Tom

 

[ozzy1977]

Nice work

 

[tombear]

Cheers! Now I have to stick the extension on the Hoover down my cast to get the chippings out. Laying on your back bicycling one leg madly only removes so much!

ATB

Tom

 

[mrcharly]

Put clingfilm round the top in future!

That looks a decent stick.

 

[tombear]

Damn good idea! They've issued me with this giant plastic sock with a rubber seal but its rather fragile so I only use itin the shower.

Next I think I'll use the 36 inch long quarter to make a less offensive looking cane/stick as I really enjoyed hacking the first into shape with the Big Nessy.

atb

Tom

 

[Chiseller]

Reyt grand....thas dun it justice :thumbup:

eggs shouldn't dance with stones.....