White Pine Pin Knots and Spike Knots??

[g_man]

I was looking at some specs for White Pine saw logs. They used red knots and black knots to dfferentiate some of the grades. At the bottom it said deductions would be made for pin knots and spike knots but they did not define the deductions nor what grade logs were affected. I can only guess at what they meant by  spike knots and pin knots.  Are there standard definitions for these things ? If so, I would like to know what it is so I can understand how they reduce log quality. Thanks.

[WDH]

From what I learned, a spike knot was a limb that departs from the main stem at a 45 degree angle.

[beenthere]

g_man
Here is an earlier report on white pine log defects. No mention of the spike knot, but the limb that WDH describes has possibly been added to log specs. And likely as a result of grading logs for structural wood.
http://www.fs.fed.us/ne/newtown_square/publications/research_papers/pdfs/scanned/OCR/ne_rp190.pdf

Here is a link to log grading specs for a Maine mill. No mention of spike knots.
http://www.hancocklumber.com/sawmill/log-specifications

[g_man]

Thanks. I am just starting to think about cutting some of my pine next winter. I have a lot of lower grade stuff I want to remove.  Guess I should have found a current spec first. The spec I was looking at was also a Hancock but from 2006. At least now I know what a spike knot is and the structural defect explanation makes sense. Thanks again.

[WDH]

Usually a spike knot is a term used in grading lumber.  It is seen on the radial face (perpendicular to the growth rings) and generally runs through the width of the board because it was sawed (split) longitudinally leaving the whole length of the branch stub in the board.  Spike knots make the board very weak, and many will break at the spike knot.

[redprospector]

Usually a spike knot is a term used in grading lumber.  It is seen on the radial face (perpendicular to the growth rings) and generally runs through the width of the board because it was sawed (split) longitudinally leaving the whole length of the branch stub in the board.  Spike knots make the board very weak, and many will break at the spike knot.

This has always been my understanding on a "spike knot". But what do I know?

Andy