Locust?

[colophoto]

Hey all, answered an ad for free locust. Did a quick look and it looked like locust but when I got there all twigs branches and little refuse was gone just left with logs.

There are some thorns but not like what I see online for locust images. The few there are are long and hooked like a cat claw. Several 2-3" long but mostly no thorns anywhere. The wood is insanely heavy and the bark isn't super thick but it is really really tough and abrasive. I mostly work without gloves and this stuff tore me up. My arms look like I have road rash. Got it home and today was 7 degrees and the wood sits easily. First strike the maul literally bounced off but it cracks the round, further strikes go through.

What did I get?

 

[jatoxico]

That's not locust. Orange color makes me think hedge but I have no experience with it so I will see what others say.

 

[Hickorynut]

Honey locust, great wood for you ^5s.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

Honey locust yes.....

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

This is my honey locust....

 

[mol1jb]

Honey locust for sure. I was just cutting some of that up today

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

It's a great wood but it dries slow like oak.......

 

[jatoxico]

Ah honey locust. Don't think I've seen that around here. Good score.

 

[Applesister]

NYC is supposed to be part of its natural range but not upstate and I have seen it here. But the type that is covered in thorns not the cultivated thornless type.
Pretty wood and great find.

 

[nrford]

honey locust yes.

 

[colophoto]

So cultivated locust is missing thorns? Thanks all!

 

[TreePointer]

Natural range doesn't matter much anymore for many locusts. I see that honey locust has been planted in parking lot islands/medians just about everywhere I travel.

Yes, there are thornless honey locust cultivars.

 

[blades]

Honey locust- hybrid- almost no thorns, Great firewood - 2-3 year drying time like Oak, Black Locust yellow inside instead of red/pink Much coarser bark ,either is tough on chains. just about the top of the btu charts Full load of either properly dried will melt a stove. Thorns- if ya get stuck you are going to have to do a little self surgery as the tips break off in the wound and fester. Also the thorns can destroy a tire quicker than a Chicago gang with switchblades.

 

[Wood Duck]

Yeah, that is Thornless Honey Locust. The thornless ones are developed from the occasional wild Honey Locust that doesn't have thorns. I haven't ever seen a thorny one that somebody planted. It is very dense wood and good firewood. My main problem with Honey Locust is that I get a lot of borers in Honey Locust in my piles, which leave tons of shallow tunnels through the wood and a lot of firewood. It still burns but I lose some BTUs from the beetles.

 

[blades]

Beatles burn just lower btu's

 

[Paulywalnut]

Great firewood. Slow to season but worth it.

 

[splitoak]

Here are both types...there must be many types of locust....the stuff i get has very little maybe 1/4" of sapwood....the rest all heartwood..

 

[Missouri Frontier]

+1 Honey Locust. The only Locust I have around here. Great stuff. Get it dry and you will be very pleased.