# horsehair ???



## pinky (Nov 30, 2015)

@phinds 
@Mr. Peet 

I am just finishing up a bowl and the blank I started with had a label stapled to the side of it. It only said horsehair. Doing an internet search didn't help. Have either of you or anyone else ever hear of a wood with that name or description? Thanks.


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## phinds (Nov 30, 2015)

No my extensive (but by no means exhaustive) database shows lots of woods with the word horse somewhere in one or more common names but no horsehair anywhere.


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## Mr. Peet (Nov 30, 2015)

Nothing comes to mind. Was it a hand written note? Could it have been horsechest, short for horsechestnut? I've heard the term horsehair used when describing roughness of wood, fuzzy grained or even an elm, since elm was used heavily in the horse trade for flooring.

Otherwise I would guess horsehair was a note describing the padding to be used in an old styled seat, and the wood was replaced by another or was at one time a part of furniture. Look forward to seeing some close-ups of the finished project and seeing if the grain speaks.....


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## rob3232 (Nov 30, 2015)

I've heard hard maple called that... also indented grain and bear claw. And on second thought fingernail birdseye.


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## pinky (Dec 1, 2015)

@Mr. Peet 
It is a hand written label that was stapled to the blank. Does say horsehair but must mean something else. Here are 2 pics of the wood before finish. Thought to do it now because I am thinking about dye, not sure yet. Any thoughts on the wood?

 

 Thanks again to all who replied.


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## Mike1950 (Dec 1, 2015)

WAG-maple


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## pinky (Dec 1, 2015)

@Mr. Peet 
It is a written label that was stapled to the blank. "Horsehair" It must refer to something else. I took 2 pics before finish to see if you have an idea on species. Thinking about dye on this but haven't decided yet. Thanks to all who commented or looked into this.


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## Mr. Peet (Dec 1, 2015)

Maple seems a good guess. Cherry almost never has a balanced curl in figure. Plus don't see any ray fleck. Not sure species, I'd guess simply maple, with spalting in the outer growth and clean wood approaching the pith. I have seen Red alder with curl like that but can only assume that it would have thin sapwood like all the other alders I've cut. Maple, any other thoughts.....


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## Mike1950 (Dec 1, 2015)

Big leaf maple


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