The Virtually Indestructible Ramrod

[Jerry V Lape]

Frogwalking,

How do we get in touch with Steve Bailey?  Doesn't seem to be in the members list and there isn't any rods for sale by him in the item/services for sale topics. 

[frogwalking]

Steve's telephone number is (573) 547-4540.  If you don't make contact at first try, leave a message amd he will respond when he gets a chance.

[woodman]

I've been in the tree buisness for over thirty years and cut hundreds if not thousands of black locust trees . They do not dull a saw any faster than any other tree. I have also made ramrods from locust and osage. Both work very well however the locust would not take stain very well and remained light in color. The osage naturaly darkened to a nice brown color.

Yeah I agree but have learned to just hush my mouth when folks complain about cutting locust and osage___but that sharp tools work every time.  Good to know about the locust and stain. YES i love that dark orange/brown color that osage ages into.  It's quite "opposite" the yellow/green of fresh cut.

Being new to this site I tried to stay quiet but in the interest of collective knowledge for the members let it be known that such claims may sound very learned and though theoretically true they crumble in the world of practical application. Although ill-advised, a truckload of poplar can be dropped and bucked with a less than sharp chain. Try that same chain on one solid black locust. Harder wood demands MORE sharpening = more time spent sharpening = less time making footage and quicker loss in chain life. The same applies to milling.

[J Henry]

  Got  a stand of Black Locust ( up to 10" on the stump) died on the stump ,, 10 years or more past ,,, hard as a woodpeckers lip ,, but makes some fine looking furniture ,, and yes ,, you are going to sharpen more tools ,,chains saw shoots sparks out  ,,, like hitting a nail ,,, thickness planer really balks at it ,, turns nice on a lathe   ,,just don't drop a bowl ,, they break !!!  Just remember what Red Green said, 'If it isn't broke  ,,you just ain't trying hard enough"

[eddillon]

Back in the early 70s I ordered some ramrods from Dixie.  They cost a little more than the hickory rods but they were virtually indestructible.  Very flexible and easily carved..  Getting old so I can't remember the name of the wood.  Then again, it was 42 years ago!

[D. Bowman]

I've been in the tree buisness for over thirty years and cut hundreds if not thousands of black locust trees . They do not dull a saw any faster than any other tree. I have also made ramrods from locust and osage. Both work very well however the locust would not take stain very well and remained light in color. The osage naturaly darkened to a nice brown color.

Yeah I agree but have learned to just hush my mouth when folks complain about cutting locust and osage___but that sharp tools work every time.  Good to know about the locust and stain. YES i love that dark orange/brown color that osage ages into.  It's quite "opposite" the yellow/green of fresh cut.

Being new to this site I tried to stay quiet but in the interest of collective knowledge for the members let it be known that such claims may sound very learned and though theoretically true they crumble in the world of practical application. Although ill-advised, a truckload of poplar can be dropped and bucked with a less than sharp chain. Try that same chain on one solid black locust. Harder wood demands MORE sharpening = more time spent sharpening = less time making footage and quicker loss in chain life. The same applies to milling.

Guess my 10 years with the Asplundh Tree co And 25 years of owning and opperating a tree Care buisness. I've learned nothing???  Soft wood hard wood if my saw gets dull i sit down and sharpen it. Infact i have been known to sharpen a new out of the box chain because it didnt meet my standards of sharp. Keep the chain out of the dirt be it on the ground or on the log. It aint the wood dulling it.

[blackbruin]

I've been cutting and selling firewood for over 20years, I have to agree that the wood is not what dulls. As has been said before, hitting the ground, cutting logs dragged full of dirt and stones.  Shagbark hickory gets a bad rap too, but their bark makes a perfect dirt absorber.  Last but least is an improperly tuned saw, bad bar, high takers, etc... Can affect a chains performance, also the dummy operating it can help dull it fast too...

[Dennis Glazener]

Have no thoughts (at least not to air here) on which woods dull a chain faster but I know that when I cut shag bark hickory and black locust late in the day I see sparks flying out with the wood chips! And this happens well above the ground level. Not sure this is coming from dirt/rocks etc.
Dennis

[woodman]

I've been in the tree buisness for over thirty years and cut hundreds if not thousands of black locust trees . They do not dull a saw any faster than any other tree. I have also made ramrods from locust and osage. Both work very well however the locust would not take stain very well and remained light in color. The osage naturaly darkened to a nice brown color.

Yeah I agree but have learned to just hush my mouth when folks complain about cutting locust and osage___but that sharp tools work every time.  Good to know about the locust and stain. YES i love that dark orange/brown color that osage ages into.  It's quite "opposite" the yellow/green of fresh cut.

Being new to this site I tried to stay quiet but in the interest of collective knowledge for the members let it be known that such claims may sound very learned and though theoretically true they crumble in the world of practical application. Although ill-advised, a truckload of poplar can be dropped and bucked with a less than sharp chain. Try that same chain on one solid black locust. Harder wood demands MORE sharpening = more time spent sharpening = less time making footage and quicker loss in chain life. The same applies to milling.

Guess my 10 years with the Asplundh Tree co And 25 years of owning and opperating a tree Care buisness. I've learned nothing???  Soft wood hard wood if my saw gets dull i sit down and sharpen it. Infact i have been known to sharpen a new out of the box chain because it didnt meet my standards of sharp. Keep the chain out of the dirt be it on the ground or on the log. It aint the wood dulling it.

You are a true vet of a very difficult and dangerous profession. I respectfully salute you. And you obviously learned much or you would not likely have survived. We agree, its not the wood itself. But the results of a dull saw are far more pronounced in the hards. And since our success here in logging is often measured in footage...well, you can surely see our reasoning. But more to the point - thanks again for the tip on locust being light-colored for ramrods. I should've known better than to try and replace hickory anyway.

[J Henry]

  and hard wood and soft wood chainsaws are sharpened at a different angle and some even go to low pitch chains !!! have some cherry that died standing years back,,some pretty in the heart wood gray on the outter layer and red/maroon in the heart wood.  I girdle some hard wood trees,fall/winter, sap is down, ( maple/beech/ash/white birch) and let them stand to die/dry  , then cut them down when I am ready to take them to be milled.   Grandfather taught me to do this,,no storage problem and speeds drying time..
 Dalai Lama is quoted as saying, "When you talk you are only repeating what you already know,,,But when you listen you may learn something new".
 Smart man  ,,,  IMMHO

[Acer Saccharum]

I had some maple that got buggy real fast. I don't know if the tree had bugs before it was cut, or they dove in afterwards. Tree was cut after the sap had risen, in late spring, so it was seriously wet.

I'd be concerned about bugs in maple in a tree that was left standing to dry. But I'm no woodsman.