There isn’t a lot of it in my immediate area so I have never cut and split shagbark hickory until yesterday. When I saw these few logs come in on a log truck, they jumped right out at me. Cutting the loose bark with each new cut is loud because of how it’s not all right against the wood but other than that, nothing different. It is dense stuff for sure though. Going to stack it in ibc totes along with the rest of the hickory I have.
Eye and face protection is a must when cutting shagbark hickory. I've had pieces of bark hit my face before I got the helmet with the face shield. It hurts like a MF. Now when I cut hickory and a piece of bark his the face shield, I laugh.
Damm fine looking log! I’d be hard pressed to keep that away from a mill… but on the other hand, 2 years CSS’d is an equally beautiful thing!
Congrats on your first shag! Good stuff there. Yeah that bark is the hardest IME. I've seen sparks when cutting in low light and it does shoot bark shards when bucking. Put it aside and get a premium for it. Have a couple cords myself that are ready to sell after sleeping for a couple years. Sold a regular customer a half cord of hickory last year and she marveled at the heat it put out.
Shag is thee hottest burning wood I’ve hoarded. Absolutely love it. It can be a little stringy splittin’ but it’s worth the hassle. Save all of it for yourself!!
I felled this beast over a year ago and have been providing the trunk wood to one of my restaurant customers. The limbs will easily provide over half my home heating wood this winter. Shag is one of the best firewoods to be found.
I have nothing nice to say about hickory I still have some left to process from spring. I'm dreading dealing with that stringy mess.
Me too. Remember when we were cutting all that straight oak on the Plantation job...made some beautiful farwood. I've seen some shagbark north of us, but never cut any. Mockernut bark hurts like heck too. That is some nice hickory. Smoker folks like it the best, get a big premium for it, if you can.
Processing it isn't super fun, but burning it after a couple years split and stacked it's amazing firewood.
I have a lot of Shag bark and don't find it a pain to process for the most part. It is great firewood when dry.
X2. Don't score it often but not that stringy IME unless rounds sit for an extended period. I think if its split frozen its less stringy too.
