Hawthorn- cleave or saw?

[stuckinthemud]

It looked longer in the tree, I thought it was a 6ft+, clean, length of straight hawthorn.  Well it was none of those things once felled. Still 65inches,  basically straight, mostly clean pretty much as good as hawthorn gets and thick enough for at least 2 bows,. I think hawthorn might not be easy to cleave? Anyone any experience with splitting it?

[Ricardovanleeuwen]

I think you can better Saw It since lot of pin knots where the split van change in direction

[Pat B]

If it is like most hawthorn I've seen it grows spiraled. If that's so sawing will still give you a spiral bow.

[Ricardovanleeuwen]

If it is like most hawthorn I've seen it grows spiraled. If that's so sawing will still give you a spiral bow.

how is that so?

[Pat B]

When you split out a stave the split follows the grain. When you saw a stave and the growth is spiraled it like using a board with grain run offs. If the growth is straight sawing is ok and generally doesn't violate the grain.

[stuckinthemud]

I think of it as asking if the tree wants to be a bow. Little or no spiral is bow-wood, heavy spiral is carving timber. I always cleave,  but a heavily interlocked timber is really hard work to split and often doesn't want to follow the grain, so does anyone know if that applies in this case?

[meanewood]

I've gained quite a bit of experience with Hawthorn and I would saw it, especially if you think it can produce 2 staves.

When you work it down, watch for hidden pin knots appearing, as they will tear out quite deep.

I reduce the last 2-3 mm using a disc sander and tiller the same way.

[stuckinthemud]

56 inches long, 4x6 inches oval at centre.