Balsam Fir

[Marc St Louis]

I cut down a fairly large Aspen yesterday and was trying to drop it inside an opening in the surrounding trees, I failed.  It came down on top of a smallish diameter Balsam, about 6" in diameter, which broke it in half but also shattered it in a way I've never seen before.





At -15 C the temperature was cold but not that cold.  Balsam is not much of a firewood but I brought the pieces out because my wife wants to do something with them

[Pat B]

Looks almost like a split out piece of bamboo. Did it follow one ring?

[Stoker]

Only seen pine or fir split like that at least -40c

[upstatenybowyer]

that's really cool. Maybe you could make a serving tray out of it or some thing... 

[Marc St Louis]

The break followed the growth rings right down to the core on the one side of tree.  I brought back the larger pieces with the larger of those being about 4" across and some 10' long

[willie]

you can research it as "ring shake"
more common in hemlock

I got a few pieces back in the corner, saved up for something..... just don't know what

[BowEd]

That is a unique type length of a split Marc.Not a whole lot of inner locking grain to that fir.The transporting firewood this time of year a bit easier on skis on the snow opposed to wheels on dry ground I'm sure.
That cold weather does funny things to woods' splitting charateristics.While coon hunting on very cold rather windy nights many times I would hear trees making popping type noises swaying in the wind.Things seem to get a bit more brittle.I split all my firewood by hand here and soon found out that wood splits a lot easier in temps -10 F or more.The colder the easier.Handy to know if your burning that tough old elm wood.
Think your right willie calling it a laminar ring shake type split.

[penderbender]

I have seen western red cedar split like that from being felled on something, another felled tree, a rock, anything really. It is always cool to see though. Cheers- Brendan

[Del the cat]

It's a wonder it didn't splinter into perfect 5/16" shafts 
Del

[Marc St Louis]

I've used Balsam Fir for arrows.  It splits very easily and usually grows with no twist.  It's very light though and shafts have to be a bit thick for proper spine and weight