Ostrya virginiana of the family Betulaceae. There are at least 6 or 7 other Ostrya species that also have hophornbeam as a part of one their common names, but Ostrya virginiana is the only one that uses the name hophornbeam all by itself. Ostrya virginiana is also known as hardhack, American hophornbeam, Eastern hophornbeam, Virginia hophornbeam, and leverwood among others. This page also contains a sample of Knowlton hophornbeam / Ostrya knowltonii
Like its close relative hornbeam, this wood is very hard and tough (supposedly this one is a bit more so than hornbeam) and in addition to the names listed above, it is also (like hornbeam) known as ironwood in the USA. Ironwood is one of the most useless common names in existence in terms of actually identifying a wood --- I have what I'm sure is an incomplete list and it shows 180+ different species that have ironwood as one of their common names.
Anyway, hophornbeam IS very hard and is rarely used for items such as furniture because it's difficult to work. It is used a lot for things like tool handles and mallets where its strength and hardness are virtures.
my samples: NOTE: these pics were all taken in very bright incandescent lighting ("soft white" at 2700K) colors will vary under other lighting conditions
both sides of a sample plank of Eastern hophornbeam
end grain and end grain closeup of the sample plank directly above
both sides of a sample plank of Eastern hophornbeam / Ostrya virginiana --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of Eastern hophornbeam / Ostrya virginiana --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
first face and the end grain of a sample of hophornbeam / Ostrya virginiana. This part of a collection which is discussed here: COLLECTION B. Note: the center of this piece is NOT a normal pith area, it is in fact a dowl of the same wood.
the second face, before and after slicing off 1/8" showing how the patina from aging is only surface deep.
first face and the end grain of a sample of hophornbeam (leverwood) / Ostrya virginiana --- This part of a collection which is discussed here: COLLECTION G
the second face, before and after sanding it down a bit, showing how the patina from aging is only surface deep.
end grain closeup and END GRAIN UPDATE of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of Knowlton hophornbeam / Ostrya knowltonii --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of Knowlton hophornbeam / Ostrya knowltonii --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
crotch section of one of the planks above showing a small section of compression curl that looks a lot like "angel step" figure.
set of planks with heartwood and sapwood
closeup of the planks directly above
small plank, cut from one of the larger ones above and sanded for the pic, and an end grain shot. The color is very accurate. I don't recall whether the lowering of the red tint in these pics comparted to the ones above is because I left too much red in the ones above or because the sanding took of a slight veneer that contained some red tint. Probaly it was an error in my color correction on the ones above.
end grain closeup and END GRAIN UPDATE of the piece directly above --- despite the obvious scratches on the left side, the update shows the fine grain detail quite nicely so I'm not going to redo it
both sides and end grain of a plank contributed by Chris Arvidson, whom I thank for this and other contributions. I mistakenly thought that Chris had called this "desert ironwood" so had it on that page for a while with a note that I didn't think that's what it was and then recently I did an end grain update and that showed me it was hophornbeam and I checked with Chris and sure enough, he had told me in the first place that it was hophornbeam.
same plank as directly above but moistened with water. I had left this just sitting out in my house for about two weeks after sanding it and taking the dry pics. When I picked up the piece to moisten it for the new pics, I noticed, and you can seen this pretty well in the end grain enlargements, that it had cupped quite noticeably.
end grain closeup and END GRAIN UPDATE of the piece directly above
flat cut, quartersawn, end grain
hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) from The Wood Book --- both levels of enlargement are present for all 3 views
web pics:
log sections that have been moistened for the pics
planks and a closeup
plank
plank from a vendor whos pics I know to frequently be far more red than the wood itself and I'm sure that's the case here.
slab listed as hophornbeam root stock (and moistened for the pic)
Eastern hophornbeam
Eastern hophornbeam turning stock end grain
two views of a set of bowl blanks
two views of a bowl blank
two burls and a closeup of one of them; these were listed as hophornbeam
curly hophornbeam dish and bowl. Pics taken at a woodworking show. Label said finish on both is tung oil, but the bowl finish seem too shiny for tung oil. HUGE enlargements are present.
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