Main Discussion Area > Bows
Earlywood latewood mix?
scp:
With hickory logs, I almost always save and use belly split staves over one inch thick. I don't chase any growth ring. I just trust the way it was hand split and clean it up with draw knife and scraper, often flattening the back. I also use the vertical grain on the back sometimes, making the back flat like a board. I usually trap the hickory bows slightly. I do de-crown some white wood saplings or branches.
bownarra:
If you violate any wood it can fail. Trees grow with intact growth rings for a reason :) Hickory can take violations but it is super easy to chase a ring on most ring porous woods....I don't know why you wouldn't bother. Taking shortcuts when bow making will lead to you getting bitten at some point....
scp:
For most white wood staves, there is no reason to violate the growth ring unless the top layer is damages or defective. But people hunted with bows with all kinds of ring violations for thousands of years. I just like the idea of letting the stave split as it wants. Much easier that way with primitive or hand tools. All depends on what you want to do with your bows. I just make them for fun and making them itself is my main physical exercise. If you want to sell them, it would be reckless to do things my way. If you hunt, it would be worthwhile to spend dozens of hours on perfecting the back. I just do what the stave wants to be and what I feel like to do at that time. I would say I am just making unfinished bow blanks that are shootable. Just enjoy bow making in your own way.
Selfbowman:
Yes bowanarro I agree. Single growth rings on the back and the belly make kick ass bows. Osage is the present king. But hickory bows are not to be taken lightly. Arvin
RyanY:
I learned to chase rings starting with hickory. You got this Russell! Osage will feel like a piece of cake! :BB
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