Whether to Quarter-Saw Honey Locust
Quarter-sawing honey locust is a lot of extra effort for a pretty marginal benefit. December 29, 2008
Question
Has anyone ever quartersawn honey locust?
Forum Responses
(Sawing and Drying Forum)
From contributor B:
I never have quartersawn honey locust, but I have black locust.
From contributor D:
I have. Small ray flecks kind of like 1/4 sawn cherry. I don't see many around here big enough to 1/4. What is your purpose?
From the original questioner:
Just curious what kind of look it is. Maybe a wainscoting or something?
From contributor D:
Here is a close-up of the ray fleck I mentioned from a 1/4 sawn board I had laying around. From a distance the lumber looks not much different than flat sawn though.
Click here for higher quality, full size image
From Professor Gene Wengert, forum technical advisor:
For good ray fleck in honey locust, you do need to be very close to perfect q-sawing. Note in the picture above how the ray fleck is limited to a small area where this is true. Considering the loss in yield when q-sawing, the extra time, and the lack of a market, I suggest not doing it, unless you have a specific use or buyer in mind already who will pay extra.
From contributor D:
What Gene said. Honey locust is pretty enough flat sawn in my opinion - one of my favorite woods. The picture I posted was the only thing handy (on top of a pile) and near a crotch, thus the irregularity in the fleck. The only market I have found for 1/4 sawn HL was luthiers, and it was custom sawn to order. The pay was worth the extra effort, but I would never saw it and try to market it at a premium. If someone contacts me with a request and money to back it up, I will 1/4 saw a bratwurst.
From the original questioner:
Thanks guys. I’ve been working with a pile of flat sawn hl and noticed the fleck on a piece of scrap, and if I 1/4 saw anything, it is usually for my own use.
