wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi Prometheus

The name Iron wood is used for all kinds of wood worldwide, tropical
and and north temperate zone trees.

In N America the ironwood name for trees is used for the Hophornbeam,
(Ostrya Virginiana), grows from E Texas up to SE Manitoba and east of
that from N Florida to Cape Breton Island, sizes op to 50' tall and 12"
D, occasionally larger.


That would be the one, most likely. Now if you order Pao Ferro (any
guesses?) you'll have something else.

Tree grows slowly even when it's not in the understory, so it'll be pretty
close-grained. If a jobber drops an ironwood log of sufficient size, it
normally goes out with the hard maple, which it closely resembles after
sawing. Just tighter and harder.

My splitting maul and sledge have ironwood handles, and it makes a great
replacement handle for a wheelbarrow. Unless you want to turn it for
sentimental reasons, it won't turn you on as much by difference as off by
toughness.