can I carve.....

[PaPa Smurf]

wife just said I could carve on some wood in the yard...it's a Crepe-myrtle...but I never see anyone talk about them......??????

[twymanok]

I turned it once a long time ago I do not remember anything really bad about it. I seem to remember some fuzzing but I may be confusing it with something else, it was among a pile of wood chunks. I was on a pen turning binge.

[jmischel]

I have some drying in the rafters of my garage. Haven't tried to carve it yet. According to others here on the board (search for crepe myrtle), it carves pretty well when green, but often splits badly when drying. Some say that it's "like iron" when dry. Others say it's pretty hard, but carveable.

Crape Myrtle Limbs

According to other sources, crepe myrtle is 1055 on the Janka hardness scale, making it harder than cherry, and just a little bit harder than walnut. Shouldn't be too tough to carve with good tools. Take small bites, and strop often.

[Donsexton]

I bet that wood is hard as rock.