In loving memory of Kenis D. Keathley 6/4/81 - 3/27/22 Loving father, husband, brother, friend and firewood hoarder Rest in peace, Dexterday

Favorite and least favorite smelling woods

Discussion in 'The Wood Pile' started by jrider, Jul 12, 2021.

  1. jrider

    jrider

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    I know a lot of guys either complain about the smell of different trees when cutting and splitting or say how much they love the smell of certain trees. I love everything about cutting and splitting wood, especially the smells that come with different types of wood. I have never really thought there were types I didn’t like smelling. I won’t go as far as saying I don’t like the smell, but while cutting today I realized my least favorite and that is black locust. I also found myself sneezing a few times as I cut it as well and I will confirm that tomorrow when I cut more of it. My favorite by far is black cherry. So what are your favorites/least favorites based off odor alone?
     
  2. Chud

    Chud

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    There’s some Red Oak that smells like manure and makes me smell from cutting it. It could be a combo of bacterial flux and decay I don’t know for sure, but it reeks, and continues to reek until seasoned.
    White Oak smells the best.
     
  3. Backwoods Savage

    Backwoods Savage Moderator

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    Favorites are sassafras, cedar and pine. Least favorite are willow, cottonwood and popple.
     
  4. red oak

    red oak

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    Unlike many I love the smell of freshly split red oak. It reminds me of fall mornings with my dad gathering wood. I also really like the smell of pine, cedar and cherry. My least favorite would be black locust.
     
  5. jrider

    jrider

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    I know red oak is disliked by man but I kind of like it, even that decaying material.
     
  6. jrider

    jrider

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    I do also really enjoy the smell of pine and cedar as well
     
  7. Eric Wanderweg

    Eric Wanderweg

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    I really like the smell of black cherry, black birch, apple, chestnut oak and beech.
    Least favorites would be the small amount of tree of heaven I’ve dealt with (think rancid peanut butter stench) and black locust when it’s been down a while and the bark is rotting off.
     
  8. The Wood Wolverine

    The Wood Wolverine

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    Apple, cherry and red/white oak are my fav's.

    Least favorite... elm. :)
     
  9. brenndatomu

    brenndatomu

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    I don't remember smelling too many that were offensive...but I'm in the "like Oak smell" camp...reminds me of going with my dad to the sawmill to get sawdust for cow bedding when I was a lil guy, I think they mainly cut Oak there...and I've personally only ever been into 1, maybe 2, Oaks that were a little stinky...and I enjoyed the shag hickory that smelled like a whiskey barrel!
    Honestly I rather enjoy all the different wood smells for the most part...just walked by my stacks earlier today and noticed a pleasant wood smell even though there is nothing super freshly split in there...we've had a good bit of rain the last few days and then the sun comes out between showers (downpours!) and starts drying the ends of the splits back off (can you say swamp like humidity?!) I think that's why I noticed the smell that isn't normally there other than after the first few weeks of fresh splits being laid in...
     
  10. buzz-saw

    buzz-saw

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    Favorite probably cedar , looks as good as it smells especially when made into boards

    Least favorite I would say elm, smells like pee and splits like chit.
     
  11. buZZsaw BRAD

    buZZsaw BRAD

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    Favorites: sassafras, black birch, white oak. Least favorite is black locust when bark just starting to loosen up and fall off (friggen putrid) although when bark is tight i dont mind the smell too much of fresh cut/split.
     
  12. buZZsaw BRAD

    buZZsaw BRAD

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    Thats for sure. I think i sniffed every board as it was milled. Trying to find more!
     
  13. buZZsaw BRAD

    buZZsaw BRAD

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    That would be pin oak. Have a mound of splits to be stacked yet from recent score. Pleasant stench coming off it still!
     
  14. buzz-saw

    buzz-saw

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    Me too BRAD
    Might have a couple lined up.
    I will find out Thursday when back in town and get to work.
    Keeping my fingers crossed it works out!!
     
  15. FatBoy85

    FatBoy85

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    If this is strictly a smell based on splitting and cutting my favorite smells are Douglas Fir and Cedar(Western Red). I don't smell much other woods but burning is a whole different ball game. Least favorite is Black locust. I smelled an elm set of rounds that smelled like a moldy batch of laundry. Red oak is one of the strongest I've smelled with that puke rotten cheese smell as well.
     
  16. Eric VW

    Eric VW Moderator

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    100% same reason here. :thumbs::confused::(
    Experienced that a few years ago here- yep, splendid. :yes:
     
    Midwinter, Cash Larue, jrider and 5 others like this.
  17. JDU

    JDU

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    They all have their own unique odor, can't say I don't like all of them, except tree of heaven. Stinks when it burns too.
     
  18. Ashwatcher

    Ashwatcher

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    Fave is red oak, reminds of going to the circus as a small child, I love walking the stacks when its fresh split and bummed when it goes away. My least fave is locust but oh so worth it-followed closely by black (pizz oak)
     
  19. billb3

    billb3

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    Except for maybe poplar they all smell OK to me. Not that we have a lot to pick from here. Course, I like arugula and cilantro, so there's that.
     
  20. Eric VW

    Eric VW Moderator

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    I will say- green splits of Siberian elm stink like cat pizz with a smantering of puke mixed in for good (bad, really) measure.