Axe Buyer's Guide

Axe Handle Wood Types: Impact Bending Data

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

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