Hornbeam in Tools

Post date: 15-Nov-2012 01:28:51

With tool components now being made from a much wider range of timbers, it is not always possible to identify the timbers in use. This is particularly true when coming from places like China where the timbers are not so well known. We are all more or less familiar with the common traditional timbers used in English tools, and these will be looked at in future articles, but the first one to be examined is Hornbeam.

Hornbeams are relatively small hardwood trees in the genus Carpinus. Though some botanists grouped them with the hazels, and the hop-hornbeams in a segregate family, modern botanists place the hornbeams in the birch subfamily.

The 30–40 species occur across much of the north temperate regions, with the greatest number of species in east Asia, particularly China. Only two species occur in Europe, and only one in eastern North America.

Hornbeam tree has distinctive leaves

Hornbeams yield a very hard timber, giving rise to the name ironwood. Dried heartwood billets are nearly white and are suitable for decorative use. It is not used for general carpentry.

Its hardness has however lent it to use for carving boards, tool handles, hand plane soles, coach wheels, piano actions and other situations where a very tough, hard wood is required, perhaps most interestingly as gear pegs in simple machines, including traditional windmills.

The wood of the hornbeam is the hardest of all the native trees in Germany, where tool makers today still use it for chisel handles. It is dense and hard, tough and elastic. It is more resistant to breakage than oak. A disadvantage is the considerable shrinkage, and it has a tendency to crack and warp.

Despite its hardness, hornbeam wood can be worked with most tools and machines. Provided sharp blades and tools are used, sawing, planing, turning and profiling are all straightforward

The wood is difficult to split but can be bent. Nail and screw connections require more strength but are then correspondingly strong. The surface can be stained and polished, but yellows under exposure to sunlight.

Due to its hardness it appears to be well suited to chisel handles, where it is being hit repeatedly. A number of quality chisel manufacturers use hornbeam, such as Hirsch, MHG and Lie-Nielsen. 

Hirsch chisels with hornbeam handles

Hornbeam is also used in mallets for uses such as stone carving and wood carving. The combination of hardness, elasticity and resistance to breakage make it an ideal timber for use in these high impact situations.

Information drawn from Wikipedia and other sources.