Great Lakes Club?

Lew · 19th June 2012, 11:23 AM

Barry

Considering both clubs are made out of the same species of wood seals the deal for me. The seller states his is made of ironwood? Ironwood is only found in the Southern USA and Mexico specifically the Sonoran desert some 2000 miles from the great lakes region so I highly doubt if there was any type of trade between the two areas. Btw that hole that the seller claims to be the eye was probably made either to mount the club or it was made to accommodate some type of thong to help with gripping the end while swinging the club? The cross hatching on the grip matches the one on mine and all the others that I have seen. All the incised work were made with stone tools.

dbhmgb · 19th June 2012, 12:40 PM

But, it was owned by Alben Barkley!!!

fearn · 19th June 2012, 07:07 PM

Sorry Lew, there *is* an ironwood in the great lakes region, Ostrya virginiana. It's lovely, hard, dense wood, and would make a good club.

The problem is that there are over 50 different trees called "ironwood" all around the world. Wikipedia lists 30+ ironwood species and genera in their entry on "ironwood". One of my favorite trees is the Santa Cruz Ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus), which, although gorgeous, isn't unusually hard or heavy. The bark is iron-colored, red and gray, and so far as I can tell, that's where it got its name. It's more used as a street tree in California than as a lumber source.

The caveat emptor is that when someone says that "it's made out of ironwood," they've told you almost nothing. So far as I know, most ironwoods are hard and/or heavy, but that's about it. It could be something like the desert ironwood of the Sonoran desert, which is heavier than water and hard to work, or it can be one of the Casuarinas or a Eucalyptus, or the Lyonothamnus I already referred to. The term "ironwood" doesn't tell you much about what wood it is, where it's from, or even how hard or heavy it is. It is, however, a cool name, which is why it gets used so often.

Best,

F

Lew · 19th June 2012, 07:45 PM

Ok I stand corrected but it's obvious the club in question is aboriginal.

http://www.woodworkerssource.com/onl...a%20virginiana

fearn · 20th June 2012, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lew

Ok I stand corrected but it's obvious the club in question is aboriginal.

http://www.woodworkerssource.com/onl...a%20virginiana

And I don't disagree with you there!

19th June 2012, 11:23 AM	#1
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Barry Considering both clubs are made out of the same species of wood seals the deal for me. The seller states his is made of ironwood? Ironwood is only found in the Southern USA and Mexico specifically the Sonoran desert some 2000 miles from the great lakes region so I highly doubt if there was any type of trade between the two areas. Btw that hole that the seller claims to be the eye was probably made either to mount the club or it was made to accommodate some type of thong to help with gripping the end while swinging the club? The cross hatching on the grip matches the one on mine and all the others that I have seen. All the incised work were made with stone tools. Last edited by Lew; 19th June 2012 at 11:45 AM.

19th June 2012, 07:07 PM	#3
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	Sorry Lew, there is an ironwood in the great lakes region, Ostrya virginiana. It's lovely, hard, dense wood, and would make a good club. The problem is that there are over 50 different trees called "ironwood" all around the world. Wikipedia lists 30+ ironwood species and genera in their entry on "ironwood". One of my favorite trees is the Santa Cruz Ironwood (Lyonothamnus floribundus), which, although gorgeous, isn't unusually hard or heavy. The bark is iron-colored, red and gray, and so far as I can tell, that's where it got its name. It's more used as a street tree in California than as a lumber source. The caveat emptor is that when someone says that "it's made out of ironwood," they've told you almost nothing. So far as I know, most ironwoods are hard and/or heavy, but that's about it. It could be something like the desert ironwood of the Sonoran desert, which is heavier than water and hard to work, or it can be one of the Casuarinas or a Eucalyptus, or the Lyonothamnus I already referred to. The term "ironwood" doesn't tell you much about what wood it is, where it's from, or even how hard or heavy it is. It is, however, a cool name, which is why it gets used so often. Best, F Last edited by fearn; 19th June 2012 at 07:19 PM.

19th June 2012, 12:40 PM	#2
dbhmgb Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Maryland, USA Posts: 112	But, it was owned by Alben Barkley!!!

19th June 2012, 07:45 PM	#4
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Ok I stand corrected but it's obvious the club in question is aboriginal. http://www.woodworkerssource.com/onl...a%20virginiana