Has any one here ever used gunstock made from Sycamore? How do they compare to the old standard of Walnut? Density looks like it is close to walnut so it should be about the same in weight. Any comments would be appreciated.

Sycamore? That stuff is so soft you can carve it with your fingernail.

[ 08-15-2003, 21:48: Message edited by: crowrifle ]

No it is not that soft. It is used quite often for cutting boards. So I know it is a fairly tough wood. I just wanted to find out if anyone had any experience useing it for a gunstock.

Wouldn't recommend it as a gunstock. I played with it as a woodworker (small boxes, small furniture etc) and found it to be incredibly sensitive to moisture regardless of finish. Nearly everything I made split, cracked etc. Matter of fact I think I remember Bruce Hoadley (Understanding Wood: A Craftsman�s Guide to Wood Technology) stating that it was one of the most unstable woods with the highest moisture content of many hardwoods. There is a reason that walnut was used for many years...proven to be stable as well as cosmetically appealing.

Paul