Burl, or not?

[GRapp]

I think this might be burl but I don't know enough to confirm. Anyone with more experience care to comment?

 

[Greenberg Woods]

Burl, but not a pin burl. Pin burl is ehat people like, with dense eye figure. This is what's called a grain burl, just swirled grain on itself. High chance of lots of ingrown bark as well

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Maybe good, probably not.
Only way to know is to cut it off clean with a chainsaw, paint the cut with latex house paint, set it in a cool dry place for 2-3 years, then cut it up into large blocks and see what you have. If it looks promising, dry those a year each and cut into oversize handle blocks. Dry another 6 months and send the best to be stabilized.

 

[GRapp]

Burl, but not a pin burl. Pin burl is ehat people like, with dense eye figure. This is what's called a grain burl, just swirled grain on itself. High chance of lots of ingrown bark as well

I was hoping you'd see this and respond. In light of what you are telling me and the fact that it's Elm which lacks character anyway, I'll leave it.

 

[Tom Lewis]

If it were me, I would try it. I would follow Stacy's advice above. A few years ago I cut burls like that off elm trees for wood turning and the bowls were really nice. It would have made nice knife handles. You won't know if you don't try.

 

[Hengelo_77]

Will the tree survive if you cut it off?

 

[jfk1110]

Will the tree survive if you cut it off?

Yes....As .long as it isn't ringed the tree will be fine.......Cut the Cambrian layer all the way around and it starves

If he sprayed the tree on the cut with paint too to seal it would keep ants at bay for a bit but not long...

 

[GRapp]

Will the tree survive if you cut it off?

If I harvest this burl, the tree will not survive. I will drag it to the house and make firewood from the rest of it. However, Elm is my least favorite tree for firewood. It is stringy and doesn't split clean like Oak.

 

[Tom Lewis]

I cut burls like that off three elm trees and they all survived.

 

[DanF]

Cut the burl then seal the “wound” on the tree , it will have a real decent chance of surviving.

 

[jfk1110]

If the.picture above is the burl you are going for, it will not.kill the tree...Even if you don't seal it but sealing it will help it fight off ants and infection while it heals itself..........