Hello Everyone,
We rive all the pegs that we use, using primarily W.Oak, sometimes Ash for interior joinery. I got to thinking, Hickory has a lot of properties that would lend itself to being a strong peg, probably more so than Oak. Why is Hickory not typically seen as a peg material? I was also wondering if the cross grain nature of Hickory would make it a royal pain to draw shave? I will probably get a couple chunks of butt log to try.
Any thoughts?
By extension, what are everyone's favored riven peg material?

For a true test of the Hickory, don't use the butt end near the stump come up 5 feet at least or use a chunk from higher up. This will get you away from the crazy grain in the butt/flared section of the tree.

I use a lot of red oak, because it grows here and works well. I have used tamarak, spruce, ash, maple and even cedar on my kids swing set.

Pignut is my favorite material for peg-making, mostly being that the market for it isn't what it once was, so veneer grade clear butts are short money compared to the Oaks.

It rives and shaves well, has good numbers for values, and is super handsome material.

I've found no downside to it.

Well, I guess I'll definitely be trying Hickory sooner rather than later! I can get some nice material easily enough from my timber supplier. If only I could find lots of big straight grained Locust!

Yes, Locust I have used too. It is on the brittle side, though.

Mesquite Buckeye on the Forestry Forum made a point about powder post beetle going after Hickory. I wonder if the small amount of peg material in a frame would be enough to attract powder post? If they did, it sure could be catastrophic. Has anyone seen this in older structures?

The Hickory's are no more susceptible to this infestation than any of the other large pore Nut Woods, or the Oaks.

I have had no such problems in now some fifteen years of use.

Being that the species susceptibility like many others, (and other related problems such as Brown Rot and other Fungi infestations) is particularly tied to its sapwood, I see it as less a problem in this species than might be found in others, being that the color contrast is so distinct > Milk white & Coffee Brown - And with my choice to split off all the sapwood from all bolts before busting peg blanks, being that I want no sapwood in them whatever, and that experience has taught me that the sapwood adversely effects how the bolt splits within, sees it removed prior to wrapping the adjustable bungee around the bolt - All meaning no bug bait makes it into the pegs or the holes they fill.