Need some help ID'ing what was sold as Hickory

[smokee]

With the holidays coming and the Mrs love of my wood (burning) I thought I'd pick up some hickory, I find that the warmer I get the downstairs family room the less she wears and we both love the aroma of hickory burning so it's a win/win. I bought this stack from a local biz that advertised it as good smoking hickory firewood. I dont have much experience with hickory firewood, I've burned some or this and it honestly doesn't smell like it. First, it's got crazy grain and is hard to split with my Fiskars. it's pretty dense, it's smells Earthy/dirt like but nothing I've smelled before. I'd appreciate it if you have some hickory experience and take a look. Thanks in advance!

 

[Greenthorn]

Sycamore maybe?

 

[stihl sawing]

That is not hickory, Looks more like sweetgum or elm.

 

[ReggieT]

 

[babybart]

Gum.

 

[lone wolf]

That is not hickory, Looks more like sweetgum or elm.

It is stinking Gumwood alright I am sure!

 

[babybart]

The gum and some railroad ties should get the Mrs. in the mood... !

 

[stihl sawing]

That stuff will rot and mold quick. keep it dry unless you are going to burn it fast. It won't burn long as hickory or oak either. It also will leave a fine ash in the stove. I hope you didn't buy it to cook with. I'd be lookin that dude up and getting my money back.

 

[cigmaker]

I'd also say gum.. looking at that one split far right first pic looks like it was torn apart as gum does.

 

[lone wolf]

That stuff will rot and mold quick. keep it dry unless you are going to burn it fast. It won't burn long as hickory or oak either. It also will leave a fine ash in the stove. I hope you didn't buy it to cook with. I'd be lookin that dude up and getting my money back.

Yup, he was ripped off.

 

[hupte]

I've never split gum, but it looks a lot like cottonwood. its not hickory.

 

[stihl sawing]

I've never split gum, but it looks a lot like cottonwood. its not hickory.

You don't split gum, you tear it apart. You can see the big jagged edges that ripped apart when on the splitter. I've done a lot of it on a hydro splitter. it don't bust and split, it tears into.

 

[stihl sawing]

Now if you let it dry almost to the point of being rotten, it will split with a maul.

 

[lone wolf]

Look at this BTU chart Hickory is almost double the value in heat compared to Gum. http://www.offroaders.com/tech/firewood-BTU.htm

 

[zogger]

If it was hickory you'd know it as soon as you hefted a split, it's heavy. I move some as cooking wood, did three bundles today, I get double over oak. Firewood is just flat around here, but cooking wood is year round, slow, but steady. I burn the bark-on chunks for firewood during polar vortexes, but the heartwood..it's the best dang wood in this county. And no mistaking it when split or cut, smells like bacon.

 

[Gypo Logger]

Looks like Bulgarian Bugwood from here.

 

[stihl sawing]

Looks like Bulgarian Bugwood from here.

lol

 

[Del_]

Carya punkinensis.

That could possibly be hickory but if it is it was standing dead for some time and some looks to be quite punky. The mushroom fruiting bodies are often just on the bark which falls off leaving little evidence that the wood has been partially consumed by fungi.

 

[smokee]

I've had my woodstove for 3-4 years now and I have not once got an honest load of wood here in Lancaster. This is the 2nd time someone sold what was suppose to be hickory, I've thrown it in the stove and it not smelled even close to being hickory. I've just about had it with these jackasses. I'm taking this s**t back Saturday.

 

[Gypo Logger]

This stuff will burn you right out of the house.