"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...
Jay Pique wrote:

I'm not sure if it's Doug Fir or Hemlock that's in there, but I've got
a splinter that's really putting out the puss. And the thing is, I
thought I got the whole thing out. Are there certain species that are
more splinterific than others?

I read in a book about the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars that the
British did some research in this area and decided to built their warships
in Britain out of oak and pine rather than teak, even though structurally
the teak was superior, because they found that splinter wounds from teak
("splinter" in this case is the aftermath of a cannonball going through
the
side of the ship and we might think of it today as "wooden shrapnel")
almost invariably turned septic but oak and pine usually did not.

So, yes, some species are more splinterific than others.

I should point out that the cannon ball did not have to penetrate the hull
to produce splinters or wooden shrapnel. You hit wood hard enough on the
outside, it will throw off splinters on the inside.

I don't think any of us are that strong. But a cannon ball will do the
trick. Particularly if shot from point blank range and a direct hit is
accomplished.