There are as many ways to test wood as there are different varieties of wood. When it comes to axe handle wood types though, there is one test that is more reliable than any other, Impact Bending.
The most familiar may be the Janka Hardness Test or Crush Strength test. Many people also use the Modulus of Rupture (MoR) or the Modulus of Elasticity (MoE) to determine the strength of wood.
These tests can provide us with valuable information but they do not replicate the real world use of axes. When it comes to axe handle wood testing, nothing can beat the classic Impact Bending test.
What is an Impact Bending test?
In the case of this particular study a 50 pound hammer was dropped on many test samples of a piece of wood and the average height in inches it took to break that wood sample is recorded. This recording was then converted into Joules thus providing us with the energy required to bend the wood.
The tests were conducted both parallel to the grain and perpendicular to the grain. The differences between the two positions were marginal with a 3% variation at most.
Where did this data come from?
Back in September 1935 the USDA published their findings on lumber using the Impact Bending test. This data was published in the USDA Technical Bulletin No. 479, September 1935 titled Strength and Related Properties of Woods Grown In The United States.
Complete Guide to Lumber Strength for USA Wood Species
The table below lists 175+ different species of tree and the energy required to bend lumber of that species. The scores are indicated in Joules to make drawing comparisons between species easier.
| Impact Bending of Woods Rated in Joules & Organized by Hardness |
|---|
| 677 – Osage Orange |
| 598 – Beech, Blue (Hornbeam/Musclewood) |
| 497 – Hickory, Bigleaf Shagbark |
| 435 – Hickory, Mockernut |
| 418 – Hickory, Pignut |
| 401 – Hickory (Full Range) |
| 378 – Hickory, Shagbark |
| 373 – Hickory, Bitternut |
| 333 – Serviceberry |
| 322 – Locust, Black |
| 316 – Elm, Rock |
| 310 – Birch, Yellow |
| 305 – Hickory, Nutmeg |
| 299 – Hickory, Water |
| 299 – Oak, Scarlet |
| 277 – Hophornbeam |
| 277 – Oak, Swamp Red |
| 277 – Oak, Swamp White |
| 265 – Birch, Sweet |
| 265 – Honeylocust |
| 260 – Oak, Post |
| 254 – Elm, Slippery |
| 254 – Oak, Pin |
| 248 – Dogwood |
| 248 – Oak, Water |
| 248 – Pecan |
| 243 – Apple |
| 243 – Ash, White |
| 243 – Hackberry |
| 243 – Oak, Red |
| 237 – Ash, Blue |
| 237 – Birch (Full Range) |
| 237 – Black Mangrove |
| 237 – Oak, Willow |
| 231 – Beech |
| 231 – Gum, Blue |
| 231 – Oak, Black |
| 231 – Oak, Swamp Chestnut |
| 226 – Ash, Biltmore White |
| 226 – Birch, Alaska White |
| 226 – Buttonwood |
| 226 – Laurel, Mountain |
| 226 – Maple, Black |
| 226 – Oak, Chestnut |
| 226 – Pigeonplum |
| 226 – Witchhazel |
| 220 – Elm, American |
| 220 – Maple, Sugar |
| 220 – Oak, Laurel |
| 215 – Oak (Full Range) |
| 215 – Sourwood |
| 209 – Oak, Canyon Live |
| 209 – Oak, White |
| 209 – Persimmon |
| 203 – Ash (Full Range) |
| 203 – Pine, Slash |
| 203 – Sugarberry |
| 198 – Ash, Black |
| 198 – Birch, Gray |
| 198 – Magnolia, Cucumber |
| 198 – Pine, Jack |
| 192 – Birch, Paper |
| 192 – Dogwood, Pacific |
| 192 – Pine, Longleaf |
| 192 – Stopper, Red |
| 192 – Walnut, Black |
| 186 – Ash, Oregon |
| 186 – Elder, Blueberry |
| 186 – Holly |
| 186 – Oak, Live |
| 186 – Pine, Shortleaf |
| 186 – Sassafras |
| 181 – Ash, Green |
| 181 – Gum, Red |
| 181 – Hemlock, Mountain |
| 181 – Larch, Western |
| 181 – Mangrove |
| 181 – Maple (Full Range) |
| 181 – Maple, Red |
| 175 – Cherry, Pin |
| 175 – Laurel, California |
| 175 – Pine, Pitch |
| 175 – Willow, Western Black |
| 175 – Yew, Pacific |
| 169 – Chinquapin, Golden |
| 169 – Douglas Fir (Coastal) |
| 169 – Pine, Loblolly |
| 164 – Cedar, Alaska |
| 164 – Cherry, Black |
| 164 – Magnolia, Evergreen |
| 164 – Oak, Bur |
| 164 – Oak, Oregon White |
| 164 – Pine, Mountain |
| 158 – Cedar, Port Orford |
| 158 – Fir, Lowland White |
| 158 – Inkwood |
| 158 – Maple, Bigleaf |
| 158 – Pine, Pond |
| 152 – Catalpa, Hardy |
| 152 – Douglas Fir (Intermediate) |
| 152 – Magnolia, Mountain |
| 152 – Maple, Striped |
| 152 – Pine, Jeffery |
| 147 – Bustic |
| 147 – Cascara |
| 147 – Douglas Fir (Mountain) |
| 147 – Hemlock, Western |
| 147 – Oak, Southern Red |
| 147 – Pine (Full Range) |
| 147 – Sycamore |
| 141 – Gum (Full Range) |
| 141 – Maple, Silver |
| 141 – Pine, Norway |
| 141 – Spruce, Red |
| 141 – Spruce, Sitka |
| 135 – Ash, Pumpkin |
| 135 – Butternut |
| 135 – Cypress, Southern |
| 135 – Fir, Silver |
| 135 – Mastic |
| 135 – Silverbell |
| 130 – Fir, California Red |
| 130 – Fir, Noble |
| 130 – Gum, Tupelo |
| 130 – Madrono, Pacific |
| 130 – Oak, Rocky Mountain White |
| 130 – Pine, Western White |
| 130 – Spruce, Black |
| 130 – Tamarack |
| 124 – Aspen, Largetooth |
| 124 – Cedar, Eastern Red |
| 124 – Cottonwood, Northern Black |
| 124 – Gum, Black |
| 124 – Spruce (Full Range) |
| 119 – Aspen |
| 119 – Fir (Full Range) |
| 119 – Hemlock, Eastern |
| 119 – Walnut, Little |
| 113 – Alder, Red |
| 113 – Cottonwood, Eastern |
| 113 – Fir, Balsam |
| 113 – Pine, Lodgepole |
| 113 – Poplar, Yellow |
| 113 – Spruce, White |
| 113 – Willow, Black |
| 107 – Cedar (Full Range) |
| 107 – Chestnut |
| 107 – Pine, Limber |
| 107 – Pine, Northern White |
| 107 – Pine, Sand |
| 107 – Redwood (Virgin) |
| 107 – Rhododendron, Great |
| 102 – Pine, Sugar |
| 96 – Cedar, Incense |
| 96 – Cedar, Southern Red |
| 96 – Cedar, Western Red |
| 96 – Fir, White |
| 96 – Pine, Ponderossa |
| 90 – Basswood |
| 90 – Buckeye, Yellow |
| 90 – Fir, Alpine |
| 90 – Oak, California Black |
| 90 – Palmetto, Cabbage |
| 90 – Redwood (Second Growth Dense) |
| 85 – Poisonwood |
| 85 – Spruce, Engelmann |
| 79 – Ironwood, Black |
| 79 – Poplar, Balsam |
| 73 – Cedar, Southern White |
| 73 – Fir, Corkbark |
| 68 – Cedar, Northern White |
| 68 – Juniper, Alligator |
| 68 – Pinon |
| 62 – Redwood (Second Growth Open) |
| 51 – Gum, Limbo |
| 40 – Paradise Tree |