Not sure walnut behaves in the same way. Walnut is used for gun stocks because it's so stable. Steam can be a lot hotter than boiling water but I wouldn't think that would make too much difference, depending on just how hot the steam is. It sounds like oak softens much more readily. Then again, not all gun stocks are made from walnut.Quote:
You can take a 1 x 1/2 in oak strip and tie it in a knot after steaming it 10 minutes.