doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Slab sawed or Quarter sawed for gunstocks?

Which is best and why if both are �straight in the wrist�? In terms of sidelock and boxlock, beauty, strength, durability, resistance to cracking, etc...

Slab sawn walnut generally shows more figure, but it is also more likely to be "one-sided" which means one side may show a lot more figure and grain than the other. Slab, or plain sawn wood is more likely to warp or cup.

Quarter sawn wood is more stable, and typically shows more similar figure and grain on both sides of a board or stock blank. Here's an illustration:



As you can see, there are going to be some boards in a plain sawn log that will have quarter sawn grain and figure because the growth rings are mainly perpendicular to the cut side.

For heavy recoiling guns or rifles 1/4 sawn wood is generally considered stronger. Boxloxk or sidelock, the cut of the blank is not critical.

As far as figure goes, 1/4 sawn is more likely to have similar figure on both sides. The most dramatic, fully figured blank I own is 1/4 sawn. I look at each blank individually for the project at hand or future consideration and do not get locked into the 'best" cut of wood. You will see quite a few rift sawn blanks improperly label as 1/4 sawn. You can get a nice stock from rift cut wood but it is the least likely cut to have balanced figure.

If you are wood shopping, look at how the wood was dried as well as moisture content as well as layout and figure.

Actually buzz, as you can see from the illustration I provided, rift sawn wood has a higher percentage of lumber with the growth rings nearly perpendicular to the face of the cut side. So it is actually more likely to have balanced figure than a lot of quarter sawn boards or blanks. But a true rift sawn log will yield less lumber and more waste than quarter or flat sawing.

No, true rift cut wood has the grow rings at 45 degrees to the blank, making it LEAST likely to be balanced.

You can get a lovely stock from rift cut wood but they are most often one sided when it comes to figure. Wonderful examples of wood cut in the 3 different style are shown at hunterbid.com

Keep trying Billie kieth....

I don't have to try hard at all Queen Stevie, because I provided an illustration of rift sawing. A picture is worth a thousand of your incorrect words.

Speaking of incorrect words, "one sided" means that one side of a stock blank will show much more figure than the other. Rift sawn wood is more likely to be more evenly balanced in grain and figure than other cuts.

Keep trying Queen Stevie. Or just quit while you're behind. You can always study the grain of the floor you are standing on while modeling your buckle-strap girls shoes!

Your picture fails to accurately show end grain Billie keith( I will skip the childish gay name calling).

Here is a real picture of rift sawn wood and an angle gauge to help those who are unable to follow along. I see Billie is getting upset and focusing in on fashion again.



I just love a book read expert with no real world experience.

Well, that certainly is end grain. And that certainly is an angle guage that is being held against it.

However, the wood in the picture is obviously not rift sawn.

Saying it is rift sawn will not make it rift sawn.

I just love it when you can't admit being wrong Queen Stevie... such as your definition of "one-sided"

ha! Oh please expert, tell me the cut off wood on that blank then.

What would 45 degrees to the blank be?

Ever carved a stock from a blank?

Yup.....just full of B.S. as usual.

Since rift sawn I essentially cut radially to the center line of the trunk, I would think the grain would be more balanced on both sides of the blank but less figure than quarter sawn.