dumb question: honey locust or black locust?

[Dan_Shade]

I sawed up a few logs today, that I thought were honey locust, but upon further review, i'm now thinking they were black locust.

no thorns on the trunk of the logs:

[Dan_Shade]

the specks on that top picture are from a few rain spots, also the bark on this stuff was starting to go south, where it was on the ground, it smelled somewhere between horse manure and that intestine smell you get when gutting something.  at first I thought my dog did his thing upwind 

[LeeB]

not a dumb question to me. I couldn't tell you what either one is. LeeB

[Ron Wenrich]

Looks like black locust to me.  Honey locust has a reddish heartwood, where black locust has more of a yellowish.  If you have a black light, shine it on the wood.  Black locust will "glow".

Not all locust have thorns.  I've seen a lot of smooth honey locust.  The thorns have been bred out of them long ago for ornamental use.

[Kirk_Allen]

Definatly a Black Locust if Honey and Black are the only choices.  Honey Locust bark is not near as rough as Black Locust. 

I have seen ornamental honey locust that when planted they did not have thorns but the seeds from that tree produced thorn bearing honey locust.  Is that Gods way of saying leave my work alone

[pigman]

Looks exactly like the black locust we have here in KY. Most are used for fence posts.

[Dan_Shade]

what "other" choices could I have, kirk?

this stuff was hard and heavy.

I sawed that 2" stuff out to put down on my open deck car trailer, afterwards, I think I shoulda sawed it to 5/4 or 6/4 instead of 8/4

[Corley5]

We've got a locust tree of some sort in the barnyard and have always wondered what variety it is.  It does have thorns .  I'll get some pics of it of course the leaves are long gone now

[logger]

It is definetly black locust, I have a million of those trees up at my place.  They spread like weeds.  I cut alot of it, definetly black locust.  Very hard on chains when dead.

[Dan_Shade]

it's hard, but locust is so durable, I don't mind having some.  great for building stuff that will be outside.  I like getting "junk" wood

[oakiemac]

From the pictures and your description of the smell I would say Black locust. I cut some a few summers ago and it smelled like cow manure.

[Modat22]

That be black locust, its really good furniture wood, I call it junk mahogany but its a real pretty good and durable as heck.

[SwampDonkey]

black locust up here are smooth barked, but are non native.

[Daren]

There is nothing "junk" about locust. It IS hard on tires trying to harvest it with the thorns. I have built tons of patio furniture from it, very pretty and I will never get the call saying it is going bad. Awfull hard on tools, but I practically beg for it. I can't hardly pay what the firewood price is (it burns like coal) so much goes to the Amish for firewood. I guess I look at things a little different, but locust and hedge are 2 trees I hate to see go to the wood pile, I can make some great stuff from them. I know posting pics from an outside site has become a no-no here, but check this link out from my website. It is a pic of a patio set I built for a customer from black locust. Long Link
It will outlast all of us.

[Dan_Shade]

that's what I meant, Daren...  it's unfortunate that it's value is so "unknown"

[Daren]

Dan, we know it's value. So do these people http://www.blacklocust.org/workshops/ . I am not a ship builder, or bridge builder... just a furniture maker and they think pretty highly of the stuff.

[Modat22]

I've talked to many wood workers and they refer to locust as the US's best kept wood secret. Most woodworkers love the stuff and substitute locust for mahogany when they can get it.

When I used the term junk mahogany when referring to locust I use the term in a good way. Locust is beautiful lumber.

[LeeB]

I have learned something on here. I saw my first locust the other day and was able to identify it by the stuff I've picked up on this foruim.LeeB

[Dan_Shade]

join the club, Lee.  I've learned a lot around here!

[hawkeye]

You do have Black Locust "Robinia pseudoacocia" aka Yellow Locust in some locals because of the color of the wood. It saws easy if you cut it while it is still green. It makes a great fence post and the quail love the seeds. If you have a bee keeper in your area have them put a hive near the trees when they are in bloom, the honey is excellent.