The thread about mahogany wood for gunstocks made me think of chestnut. Chestnut was once the dominate species in the eastern forest, although long gone now. I know it was used for fence posts, furniture, tool handles, etc., but I never heard of it being used for a gunstock. Anyone know if it was?
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Chestnut?
- Thread starter Rancocas
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I wouldn’t know about historic use but because of these data and my limited experience working with American chestnut I would deem it a poor choice.
https://www.wood-database.com/american-chestnut/
https://www.wood-database.com/american-chestnut/
I have never run across a vintage muzzleloader that was stocked with Chestnut. I believe the wood is too soft for making a stock. I have an old Chestnut drop leaf table, and the wood is very soft and easily dented.
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The old-timers knew what worked and what didn't .
Wife bought an old big quilting frame at a flea mkt. in perfect shape. The wood reminded me of red oak , though maybe not as hard. On Pa. State forest Land , there were 6" to 8" original American Chestnut trees where I used to hunt. No more though , as the DCNR clear cut logging practices include sending a machine around to pluck all the under brush clean to the once forest floor. Any chestnut saplings are ripped out by the plucking machine. What a shame. All the govt. minions say is , It's based on " science". That's the new govt. excuse to do what they want.
Okay. Thanks.
My encounters with old chestnut is its most often soft. I’ve made knife handles and horn caps with it.
The chestnut blight was brought in from Europe early in the 20th Century. By the 1970s, the Chestnut was wiped out except for a few large trees here and there and a few sprouts growing out of old, mostly dead trees.
Eventually, the remaining trees developed the blight.
The scientists have looked for resistant trees to propagate and crossed resistant European and Chinese chestnuts with a few American chestnuts. They irradiated chestnut seeds looking for mutations that would give resistance.
The loss of the chestnut helped destroy what remained of the Eastern Mountain people's economy.
There may have been some developments in the last few years, but I haven't followed the topic for a while.
Eventually, the remaining trees developed the blight.
The scientists have looked for resistant trees to propagate and crossed resistant European and Chinese chestnuts with a few American chestnuts. They irradiated chestnut seeds looking for mutations that would give resistance.
The loss of the chestnut helped destroy what remained of the Eastern Mountain people's economy.
There may have been some developments in the last few years, but I haven't followed the topic for a while.
When I was growing up in East Tennesse in the 50s, the sides of the ridges had the standing dead chestnut trees on them in abundance, these were huge trees often 5' at the base and bigger. My father was into making wormy chestnut picture frames from the wood of these dead trees. I have seen a lot of wormy American chestnut stacked up in out basement.
I grew up in Norris Tn about 20 miles north of Knoxville and close to TVAs Norris Dam. On the access road to the Dam there is a museum called the Lenore Museum. This is a fascinating place that houses the collection of a man who started buying the belongings of people displaced by the lake Norris dam created back in the 30s.
One Tn percussion rifle that was on display in the museum the last time I was there about 15 years ago had a chestnut stock so they did exist.
I grew up in Norris Tn about 20 miles north of Knoxville and close to TVAs Norris Dam. On the access road to the Dam there is a museum called the Lenore Museum. This is a fascinating place that houses the collection of a man who started buying the belongings of people displaced by the lake Norris dam created back in the 30s.
One Tn percussion rifle that was on display in the museum the last time I was there about 15 years ago had a chestnut stock so they did exist.
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The closet thing still growing any any abundance in my area (western NC) is Chinkapins a smaller version of chestnuts.
Still a few standing in my neck of the woods. Never heard of one in a gunstock, but they make beautiful cabinets.
My son has about 300 chestnut seedlings he's sprouted over the winter. There is a new blight-resistant variety being propagated. I bought/planted 7 of them (potted, not seedlings). Two are doing well. Apparently, our creek bottom may be too wet. They reportedly were excellent deer and turkey mast. So far, I got exactly ONE nut off of the three-year-old tree. Interesting stuff to me.
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My grandfather grew up in the mountains of western North Carolina about the turn of the century (1800 to 1900). He told me they would cut down chestnut trees in the fall to fatten the hogs. There were so many trees it made no difference. The university of Tennessee has developed a blight resistant chestnut tree.
Are you sure they aren't buckeyes? I made that mistake a couple of years ago. I found quite a lot of nuts on the ground. I gathered up a pocket full and took them to the forest service. Biologist explained to me that they were buckeyes. The nuts are similar.
Stykbow
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Absolutely positive. The nuts were gone, but the husks are unmistakable.
I finished building a hunting camp in north central Pa. woods , 'bout 1997. Was eager to scout the woods , so one day was out and about , and recognized a live 30 ft. American Chestnut tree from those seen at another camp I used to attend 40 miles west of there. I had never seen a green chestnut burr . The ground was littered with what had to be green burs. Well , Dunce boy , that would be me , reached down and picked it up in the palm of my hand. The other name I call myself when I do stupid things is , Stuart Pedasso. he likes to be called Stu. for a nick name . Stu Pedasso. I carried those chestnut thorns in my hand until they got cut out w/ my pocket knife , and tweezers. Ole Stu can testify not to pick up green burrs , bad idea.
For anyone interested in the hybrid chestnut, they have been around a long time. Here is a bit about them.
https://chestnuthilltreefarm.com/learning-center/dunstan-chestnut-history-2/
https://chestnuthilltreefarm.com/learning-center/dunstan-chestnut-history-2/
Contact the American Chestnut Foundation. They, along with several state universities, are working on developing a blight resistant chestnut with the goal of restoring the American Chestnut to its former position as the predominant tree of the eastern forests. Look up their website. They have a link for reporting living American Chestnut trees. These trees might have some resistance, be of use in breeding a resistant tree.
