# Black spots on rings of freshly cut hickory wood?



## Erin Lewis (Jul 28, 2018)

Hi - we just chopped down 2 hickory trees (the previous homeowners planted them RIGHT next to our house... less than 10 ft away) so we have a ton of wood! 

They were very healthy, nut-producing trees (believe they were shagbark). We noticed as we were chopping the sections into logs that they had these odd black spots in the rings. These were found the same day the tree was cut down. 

What are these spots, and is it safe to still smoke with the wood? I’m attaching pictures.


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## pc farmer (Jul 28, 2018)

Don't know what they are but I would use it no doupt


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## flatbroke (Jul 28, 2018)

If I were to guess I would think the chainsaw bar was a tad hot and that is warmed up sap. I have never seen a hickory tree and that was only a guess.


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## flatbroke (Jul 28, 2018)

Knock a couple a few times with a maul and see if it inside the none cut area. I am curious


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## pc farmer (Jul 28, 2018)

flatbroke said:


> If I were to guess I would think the chainsaw bar was a tad hot and that is warmed up sap. I have never seen a hickory tree and that was only a guess.




I cut alot off wood and never had that happen from a hot bar.


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## flatbroke (Jul 28, 2018)

c farmer said:


> I cut alot off wood and never had that happen from a hot bar.


 I cut a fair amount too and never seen it either. Just guessing. I’ve never seen a hickory tree that I know of either. If he splits it open we will know more though.


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## Erin Lewis (Jul 28, 2018)

I just sliced the edge of a piece - it runs through the wood. (2 pics attached)


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## pc farmer (Jul 28, 2018)

I have no answer.  But I would still use it.  We have alot of hickory here too


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## flatbroke (Jul 28, 2018)

Erin Lewis said:


> I just sliced the edge of a piece - it runs through the wood. (2 pics attached)


No answer either. I’d use it. I bet those would look awesome stained.


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## pops6927 (Jul 28, 2018)

it's from variances in the winters affecting the growth rings - no problem at all, just nature!  Seen it many times.


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## Erin Lewis (Jul 29, 2018)

Thank you all!


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## dave schiller (Jul 29, 2018)

A friend who is a forester says bird pecking and/or boring insects infected the tree with a fungus.


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## motolife313 (Aug 12, 2018)

That’s from the steel chain and bar oil contaminating the wood. I’ve had it happen to me. Goes almost all the way through. It did it on oak. A guy that runs a saw mill said it’s called a stainie. It was super dark black for me and bigger spots. Got some in the wood shed I can get a pic of


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## motolife313 (Aug 12, 2018)

For me it became visible few days after the cut if not longer


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