Blue Beech/Musclewood

Does Blue Beech or Musclewood have a grain to it, I was wondering if I took the bark off one for a walking stick, would it just be white or be a different color or grain to it.

 

I googled some pics, it seems to have a bit of color to it? I've never had any blue beech though. Normal beech has a nice orange-ish color when dry

 

We'd need pics to be able to give really gooder advice.

 

I grabbed the drawknife too take the bark off one I brought out of the woods today.

I'm wondering if I sand it, I'll lose the darker color.

This is some solid azz wood.

 

Looks good to me

 

A friend of my fathers stopped by our business, I brought in a plain Maple walking stick, he liked it but said he had one.

I took it home to take the bark off which I did, he came in Monday wanting it but he likes them with the bark on so I told him I would get him another, he'll get one of the Musclewood walking sticks with the bark on, I think he wanted it heavier because some dogs have come after him.

 

Ive had this blue beech file handle for 15 years or so. Tough stuff.

 

Can't beat that, the crap they sell today would never last that long.

Did you just drill a small hole so the file fits in, do you ever have problems with the file coming out?

 

Yes. Small pre drill hole. Never falls out. Actually have to use pliers to get a worn file out.
I have big hands and the small standard files make my hands cramp. I cut that handle just below a crotch so that it was larger at the front of my grip. Therefore I don't have to grip as hard to hang onto file handle.

 

I think I'll try it, I have the small plastic file holders.

 

Nice thing about it is if you don't like the grip ,length, diameter or texture go throw it in the stove and cut another one.

 

What you could do is leave it kind of rough like it is I mean like don't start with a coarse grit sandpaper start out at something like 180 just to smooth it out, then when you stain it the rough parts will soak up more stain and probably give it a lot of character.

 

I think I'll keep a four foot piece in the truck, the equalizer!

I'll do just that, I'll make sure I have the sandpaper if not then I'll pick some up.

 

That would be easy and quick to, you could just stop at 180 or go up to 220 the or even 320, the smooth parts , the high spots will soak up even less stain, again send it down wipe it down with mineral spirits and see what it looks like, of course once stained it will be accentuated much much more

 

I had some 150 grit so I sanded it with that tonight, I have some 200 or 250 that I'll sand it with tomorrow.

After you put mineral spirits on it, how long should I wait before I stain it.

 

Can you use something other then mineral spirits?

 

You can send it with a certain Griit, wipe it with mineral spirits to take a look to see what you have and then if you want to go to a higher grit, you can start Sanding right away.
As far as before staining, the mineral spirits will flash off pretty fast probably half hour to hour and you know it's gone, should be able to tell by looking at it whether it has evaporated or not

 

Yes what do you have? , paint thinner and mineral spirits are the same thing, turpentine, dentured alcohol, just a couple of things off the top of my head

 

Nothing here, I'll sand it again tomorrow, hopefully I'll have it ready for some stain by Sunday.

I'll be outside around the house most of the day getting some snow off the first two feet of roof near the gutters, we'll be getting ready for the big melt, maybe some rain too.

 

I just found the statement below, have you ever tried to stain Blue Beech?

There's hop hornbeam around here, too. I have a few sticks curing in my stash. Hornbeam has a smooth bark, unlike hop hornbeam. It is sometimes called blue beech. The thing that is notable about it is that the wood grows with a sinew like structure. The tree limbs look like they are bulging with muscles. The long branch I've been working on looks rather like a bundle of tendons.



From counting its rings, the stick appears to have been somewhat older than 20 years, and is only about 1 3/4" thick. The grain is extremely fine. It is proving hard to stain. While the pores take the alcohol based dyes I've been using, but the dye just sits on the top of the rest of the wood. Likewise, tung oil barely penetrates it. I may have to re-surface the whole thing, and just put a coat of carnauba wax on for a finish.



The hop hornbeam I have is somewhat thicker. I hope the grain is as tight, if somewhat more regular than the "muscle wood.