Hand Splitting Firewood

[Wood Doctor]

Is mulberry any good for ax handles?

I can get some nice straight pieces, I guess I'll find out.

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Mulberry might lack the strength and/or density of oak, hickory, or locust but it has very good rot resistance, similar to locust. I may pose this question on the WoodNet site and report back.

 

[Wilhelm]

Mulberry might lack the strength and/or density of oak, hickory, or locust but it has very good rot resistance, similar to locust. I may pose this question on the WoodNet site and report back.

That'd be cool, thank You!

Regardless I will get a couple straight pieces and stash them.

 

[jakethesnake]

That'd be cool, thank You!

Regardless I will get a couple straight pieces and stash them.

I’m curious myself. It’s pretty flexible Not sure if it would be too flexible. Just cut a big one recently

 

[Wood Doctor]

I fear I have to agree with Jake. Flexibility might be a vote against mulberry. The more the ax handle can transmit the impact to the log without breaking would work to its favor. So, being too flexible would reduce the impact. Remember that impact = velocity times mass. Flexibility might reduce the final velocity of the splitting head at impact.

 

[jakethesnake]

I’d have to try it. The head weight might make all the difference as well. I want some flex.

 

[Wood Doctor]

So far, the WoodNet guys agree with me. Mulberry would not make a long-lasting ax handle. Here are some comments so far:
(1) No on the Mulberry. You can mark it with a fingernail.
Commercially made handles are almost all hickory, for a reason.
(2) The advantage of hickory over red mulberry is its modulus of rupture (breaking strength) is nearly twice as high, as it's elastic modulus (flexular strength). White ash sits in between and is often used for tool handles. Its rot resistance is poor, however, so it's not a great choice for anything that will be left in the weather.
(3) I have to agree with the weakness, softness, and ease of breaking. Mulberry is just not tough enough for an ax handle or a splitting maul. Hedge (osage orange) might work, but not mulberry. Even ash would be a better alternative or perhaps hard maple (not silver maple).

 

[Squareground3691]

Red Elm , is supposed to make fine handles anyone ever use it , been wanting to try it .

 

[Wood Doctor]

I thought about recommending red elm also. Hard to find around here anymore. I used to bring in truckloads of it for firewood because it was popular in tree lines. Dutch elm disease almost wiped it out, and people stopped planting them. Tough wood and very durable, I liked it because it dried rapidly and was much easier to split than American elm.

I still would recommend hard maple as an alternative to hickory. Finding shag bark hickory around here is not easy. Another possibility might be locust, which has about the same density as oak. I've used it to make mallet heads for carving.

 

[Wilhelm]

So far, the WoodNet guys agree with me. Mulberry would not make a long-lasting ax handle. Here are some comments so far:
(1) No on the Mulberry. You can mark it with a fingernail.
Commercially made handles are almost all hickory, for a reason.
(2) The advantage of hickory over red mulberry is its modulus of rupture (breaking strength) is nearly twice as high, as it's elastic modulus (flexular strength). White ash sits in between and is often used for tool handles. Its rot resistance is poor, however, so it's not a great choice for anything that will be left in the weather.
(3) I have to agree with the weakness, softness, and ease of breaking. Mulberry is just not tough enough for an ax handle or a splitting maul. Hedge (osage orange) might work, but not mulberry. Even ash would be a better alternative or perhaps hard maple (not silver maple).

Great info, thank You very much!

I did get a couple mulberry pieces and I will stash them so they can dry out.
Might be good for short handles on a small ax or something.

I guess I will crawl through the bushes and try find a straight and long enough piece of cornelian cherry.
In my area it is famed to be "the" wood for maul handles.
Next to no flex, rock hard when dry.

 

[jakethesnake]

Accidentally dumped a dump truck load of firewood on top of my 5 pound axe. Now I’ve gotta use the mail or gas splitter to get it unearthed

 

[Hundred Acre Wood]

Accidentally dumped a dump truck load of firewood on top of my 5 pound axe. Now I’ve gotta use the mail or gas splitter to get it unearthed

No, that's the best excuse to go buy another one.

 

[Wilhelm]

Accidentally dumped a dump truck load of firewood on top of my 5 pound axe. Now I’ve gotta use the mail or gas splitter to get it unearthed

 

[jakethesnake]

No, that's the best excuse to go buy another one.

Lol it’s not really “gone”. It’s somewhere betweeen that husky and that large round standing up. Just can’t spot the handle

 

[davidwyby]

Isocore recently purchased is the only thing I’ve had luck with on old dry hard eucalyptus. Is there anything better?

 

[Squareground3691]

Isocore recently purchased is the only thing I’ve had luck with on old dry hard eucalyptus. Is there anything better?

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Heck that’s petrified wood , Lol

 

[Hundred Acre Wood]

Is there anything better?

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Having someone else do it?

 

[jakethesnake]

Isocore recently purchased is the only thing I’ve had luck with on old dry hard eucalyptus. Is there anything better?

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That’s probably about as good as it gets. I’m sure someone will say the GB (gransfor brucks) spelling could be wrong would open them right up? I’ve never swung one but that iso core looks pretty mean

 

[Wilhelm]

Isocore recently purchased is the only thing I’ve had luck with on old dry hard eucalyptus. Is there anything better?

View attachment 362057

Blade too short, wedge too strong/wide on that maul.
I wish I could send You my Dragonslayer , I myself would love to know whether it is as mean as I think it is.
But I can't risk being without it.
I have close to a dozen other axes and mauls , they are all crap compared to the Slayer.

 

[jakethesnake]

That said I’d love to own a GB maul but I’m just not sure I wanna go $250 and buy one.

@davidwyby what you think of the iso?

 

[jakethesnake]

Blade too short, wedge too strong/wide on that maul.
I wish I could send You my Dragonslayer , I myself would love to know whether it is as mean as I think it is.
But I can't risk being without it.
I have close to a dozen other axes and mauls , they are all crap compared to the Slayer.

I want the slayer badly.