Black cherry

[RedFeather]

I asked this up in the oak string, but will ask again anyhow. How come there aren't more guns stocked out of black cherry? It's dense, holds shape (was used in carpenter's levels for years) and can be mighty attractive, especially in the darker stains. Is it just too hard to find pieces of suitable dimensions?

 

[rich pierce]

Cherry is a fine wood. There's not as much of it around as maple, and it is not found as far and wide as walnut. It's relatively rare to find a "stand" of cherry. Much of it has little figure. The advantage of plain cherry over plain hard maple, which would be cheaper, is in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

 

[Swampman]

Many original hog rifles were stocked in cherry. I believe the old Dixie Gun Works Tennessee Rifles were too. I don't care for it much, it's too plain.

 

Cherry is very brash and splits easily. also the cyannic acid crystals in it are like glass and mess up the edge of the chisel. those of us who still use hand tools to shape a stock.

 

[Mike Brooks]

I've stocked alot of guns in cherry over the past 25 years. It works great, and I have no problems using any tools on it.

 

[TN.Frank]

Yep, had a Dixie Squirrel rifle in .32cal that was Cherry, same basic gun as the Tennessee Mt.Rifle except for caliber. I liked it, it was something different and as much as I do like pretty wood I think plain wood is better for a hunting gun. That way if you ding it up or get a small scratch in it you'll not hang yourself from the nearest tree,LOL.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

The stocks on the Dixie rifles were supposed to have been made from Japanese cherry, which may be a different wood than what we get here.

 

[CrackStock]

I am not sure of black cherry in particular, but I have thought about using cherry for a southern gun.

I know that several vendors offer cherry stocks. The price is about that of walnut in similar quality grades.

I understand that cheery works well -- don't bother to stain as it will darken naturally.

CS

 

[DrTimboone]

Just received my Cherry precarve last Friday so I will soon see how well it works!! When Dave cut the sides of the forestock on his bandsaw he saved the waste slabs and sent them with the stock so I can get lots of practice.!!

 

[Zonie]

DrTimBoone: I have heard that Cherry dust (from sanding) causes severe eye and nose irritation.
Perhaps you will be so good as to let us know if you find this to be true or not.
I have avoided using Cherry because of this rumor.

 

[oldarmy]

Hi Mike,
I have that 45 getz light weight in a cherry blank-- kind of-- I had Fred Miller do the inletting and a little shaping for me.
It's going to be a Bucks later this year.
My first cherry stock. It's nice wood and I can't wait to start to work with it.
I had posted a while ago about a neighbor that had a couple of nice straight native cherry trees that he plans on taking down.
IT ISN'T GOING INTO FIRE WOOD.
there is enought to build a number of guns if the wood is sound of course.
there is an awful lot of great cherry up here that is going into the fireplace.
the high cost of fuel and a lack of understanding of the value of the wood is just a shame

 

[RMillet]

Zonie, it's true that Cherry can be an irritant if you've got a sensitivity to it. Pretty much any wood can be. I use a lot of Cherry in my boatbuilding and it causes a slight irritation to me when sanding. Black Walnut on the other hand induces massive athsma attacks in me as does red cedar. I just consider it the price of admission to the hobby.

As for figure, it's true it's difficult to find a nicely figured piece of Cherry but it's out there. It tends to run in a wider flame than good maple but if you can find a good one it's truly spectacular once it darkens up with age.

Dick

 

[BLAHMAN]

I think cherry is great....I have no problems working with it. I think the beauty of the wood is when it gets a few years of age on it...it starts to darken and get a nice redish brown patina on it.

Can't quite understand why it isn't used more often.

 

[dlemaster]

BLAHMAN
I think we don't see more of it today because you don't see a lot of originals made in it, and it is pertty plain for the most part. I made a gun a while back with cherry and I really liked working with it. It works up great and even if you don't get the spectacular color variations like you do in some curly maple, I think has a very pleasing color because of its simplicity. I have one blank left that is 3" thick that I've been saving for something special for several years.

Regards, Dave

 

[DrTimboone]

Zonie, I will let you know my experience. I can't wait to get started inletting tomorrow!!

 

[Stophel]

Actually, there ARE a LOT of original guns stocked in cherry...just not so many Pennsylvania rifles. It is THE stockwood for Hudson valley Dutch guns and New England guns, with maple probably coming in second.

 

[Marko10thivi]

I have been on a "Grail" search for a couple of years, ever since I saw a contemporary flinter stocked in TIGER STRIPE cherry. The problem is most cherry is cut for furniture and flooring, so straight grain is more desirable. I finally found an acceptable piece that has nice mottling of color in the grain. I get sick every time I look at the edge of the 3" thick board, there is the tiger stripe I have been looking for! If only They cut it the "Wrong" way!!
I was really twitching on another board I saw at the wood dealer, a beautifully tiger striped piece of ASH, VERRRRY rare. At $200.00 for a 3" thick X 10" wide and 4ft long, I had to leave it.
If anybody has a line in TIGER STRIPE Cherry, let me know PLEASE!!

 

[LSU TIGER]

I've considered using cherry or ash for my colonial musket I keep dreaming of.

 

[Stophel]

I have an ash blank that eventually I'll get around to using. It is VERY curly in the butt. Actually, curly ash is not terribly rare. I've seen plenty of shovel handles of curly ash!

Cherry just doesn't usually grow "curl" like maple does. It will often have "figure" in the form of waves. I have a "wavy" cherry blank here too that I'll eventually get around to using.

 

[Wehrmacht]

Der Fett Deutscher is pinging on target with his comment about cherry being the wood of choice for New England pieces. I figured everybody knew this, but it took 15 replies before it was mentioned :shocked2:.

I'm presently having a New England Fowler being built by David Dodds,and Wayne Dunlap found a piece of striped cherry for it. I have yet to see it,but Dave said it is stripped and probably the most beautiful piece of cherry he's seen in a stock blank.You might think about contacting Wayne to find you a striped cherry blank.

Cherry has never been a problem for me working with it. The Forest Products Research Lab's "Wood Handbook" rates cherry with the best in about all characteristics. Since I'm in the timber business I have access to cherry, and I've panneled our master bedroom and my office with it as well as the front entrance foyer. It gets more beautiful year after year!