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?? Knot on back of crab apple
snedeker:
I identified the tree as Malus coronaria, the native crab apple of eastern US. Cultivated apples were from a species brought from the old world and there are many hibred things called crabapple. The wood is pretty siimilar in all, a hard, heavy white wood approaching hickory in specific gravity. However, most crab apples are far from straight and very knotty. A gentleman made a fine bow from c. apple last summer I recall, with lots of knots like the one I mention. M. coronaria has fruits about 7/8 inch in diameter, green to golden, getting red when ripe. I got this stem on a power line cut edge in a pretty wasty area in high ridge woods country last year. It was extraordinarily straight, sort of a flattened profile, IE, 2.5" across on one axis and 2" the other way. Managed to get just the one knot designed into the bow, and above it some charactier snakiness. I have it at 65" long and about 1 5/8" wide. It was scant inch thick at the handle area, so I built it up there with a few 1/8" thick scrap lams (boo, mahogany, and hickory). More later.
I found the link to last years crab apple by J Duff - not all that knotty in fact, but snaky
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,253.0.html
Dave
Pat B:
Crab apple is a true apple(Malus) . As a matter of fact most domestic apples have crab apple root stock grafted on for hardiness and vigor.
Dave, I would do as Pappy said. Keep the belly flat and you will probably have a flat area where the knot is.
I am surprised you found a crab apple that wasn't twisted. ;D Pat
Otoe Bow:
Thanks guys on the info. I don't know that I've ever seen a crab apple tree. I've got three apple trees (type unknown) in my yard that normally produce more fruit than I can give away. The late freeze we had on Easter weekend must have affected them this year in that I've not picked one single apple this year. I can see where the wood would be very snaky.
Dave: We'd love to see some pics. What you guys do with all those pieces with "character" is truly fascinating.
Otoe :-[
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