3 truths about white oak firewood

fox9988 · Oct 4, 2022

I'd describe Red Oak the exact same way (but splits easier and straighter). Great stuff.

EODDiver · Oct 4, 2022

MikeInMa said: ↑

Indeed it does!

View attachment 355984
The White Oak of Old Ironsides
White Oak possesses a unique cellular structure that makes its timber water and rot-resistant. For this reason, as well as the renowned strength of the species, Pennsylvania shipbuilder Joshua Humphreys suggested that hulls of America’s first wooden warships be made entirely out of White Oak .

Among these warships (also known as frigates) was the U.S.S. Constitution—which is now the world’s oldest commissioned naval vessel. But the strength of the White Oak used to make the U.S.S. Constitution was known throughout the land long before she held the world record for age.

On a cloudy August afternoon in the year 1812, the Constitution came face-to-face with the British warship Guerriere. Through the course of the battle that ensued, cannon balls from the opposing ship were alleged to have bounced off the sides of the Constitution. Astounded by the resiliency of the wooden ship, an American sailor is alleged to have exclaimed: “Huzzah! Her sides are made of iron!”

The rest is history, as from that day forward the iconic ship became known as “Old Ironsides.” Few people know, however, that her sides were not iron at all but were made entirely of the mighty White Oak.

To this day, a grove of White Oak trees in Crane, Indiana is preserved for the sole purpose of supplying wood to the Constitution for repairs. It is known simply as Constitution Grove.

From - The White Oak of Old Ironsides | Olde Wood Ltd.
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My Dad was the OIC of an EOD detachment at NAD Crane in the later sixties. I was 3-5 years old at the time. I primarily sell white oak in the Nashville area. Big demand for big bucks. Fortunate to have a lot of white oak on my property and nearby areas where I cut.

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3 truths about white oak firewood

fox9988

EODDiver