Locust wood?

[Mike Armstrong]

Anybody know if Black or Honey Locust wood was ever used for long gun stocks or handgun stocks? They're fairly common trees around here and grows slower in our desert climate than elsewhere, so might be sufficiently dense for stock wood (or NOT!).

They're from the same family of plants as trees that are sometimes used for stocks (Screwbean Mesquite, Acacia, etc. the legume or "bean" family). I've only seen locust wood used for firewood and fence posts. Anybody know more?

 

[Chief 101]

no reason not to season and use black locust wood, its not figured well, just dark colored. It finishes well. It would be better for knife scales or pistol grips than rifle stocks as it is hard but it is brittle.

 

[Don Lovel]

I rehandled all my sledge hammers with epoxy dipped Black Locust when I lived in Arkansas.
We had a beautiful grove of it growing on the property, all straight nice post for Pole Barn framing and in the spring, smells so good and the honey from the flowers is really awesome.
It will burn the liner out of your stove, charcoal made from it is awesome for metal working

 

[Mobuck]

Honey Locust (the one with the nail-like thorns) has two "sexes". The one with the pods has a lot of oil in it which might be problematic for finishing.
Black Locust also has a lot of oil in it(which is why it makes good fence posts).
Both become nearly rock hard after seasoning making machining difficult.
Both split easily which is also not great for gunstocks.

 

[Mike Armstrong]

Honey locusts were common street trees in my town, but they are going fast, being replaced by smaller non-native trees (I know honey locusts aren't really native to California, in fact they are listed as an invasive species. Who cares?).

So I got a 4 1/2'x37" chunk of the bottom of one of the old trees they took out, painted the ends with Tree Seal, and put it up in the rafters of my garage. God willin' and the creek don't rise (fat chance in CA!), I'll take it down in 2017 and see what may be made of it. I call that "an investment even I can afford"!

 

[m657]

about 15 years ago "Typhoon Beulah" fiercest wind storm in 100 years, dropped a lot of trees in my area.

One of the giant black locust fell missing my house by literally 6".

Converted to firewood for the next couple years, they are marvelous for long intense heat.

Fortunately my stove is lined with fire brick.

Look out for getting the sticker in your finger, it is severe pain. they don't rot & the ER will not pick the thorn out, they will extract a small plug of flesh containing the thorn. Don't ask how I know.

 

[Mike Armstrong]

yeah, m657, I know about the thorns, too, but thanks for reminding. The saplings, which have the worst thorns, are called "cat's claw" some places in the US.

Locusts are also relatives of the (in)famous African Thorn Trees which have become naturalized in parts of Mexico and form a monoculture that is nearly impenetrable thorn. The locals call them "U~na de Gato"--"cat's claw." Only wise old goats and burros seem to be able to navigate them, and keep a few senderos open for the rest of us and the wildlife.

 

[volshooter]

Round here we cut down every honey locust. Last few years they have been many, young ones. Useless unless you want a thorn in your tire. We have many hardwoods that make better firewood. More trouble than their worth.

 

[Skoopski]

Round here we cut down every honey locust. Last few years they have been many, young ones. Useless unless you want a thorn in your tire. We have many hardwoods that make better firewood. More trouble than their worth.

Same here, I'm tired of patching tires... It's a long day when you have a thicket of those to take out :cry:

 

[rugerjunkie]

Helping clear a driveway through a 40 acre patch right now and there are plenty of locust in the way and they are mean! 3 flat tires on my utility tractor , and both fronts , one a second time and replaced it from the size and location of the hole , on my brothers Oliver loader tractor.

In my opinion it does make good firewood if for nothing else because it splits easy. Which would make for a bad stock material.