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Hickory harvest

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razorbak:
Man I’m envious of you guys that can get Osage. I cut a split a hickory log today and debarked it and it a serious propeller twist. In my neck of the woods it’s so hard to get good bow wood

superdav95:
Razorback.  Ya it’s sucks we can’t get Osage up here either.  But if you have access to hickory you are in good shape to make a bow that shoots just as well and perform equal to pretty much anything out there.  I find a fair bit of hickory and have preferred shagbark hickory.  It does get twists sometimes but Osage does as well.  There are “magical” things that can be done with with hickory over fire. 

Muskyman:
There’s a guy named Dan Santana that rate’s his top 10 bow woods and he puts hickory first and Osage second.  The hickory I just harvested has propeller twist in every piece of it.. My Osage from last year had a lot of knots humps and not very good rings. So I guess my point is there’s no perfect stave..
I do like the fact I have access to Osage but like Dave said hickory is really good wood too and fire hardening makes it even better..

Pat B:
You have to study the bark on any bow wood before you harvest to be sure it doesn't have prop twist. The twist will show up in the bark too.
How long is that osage stave? Any chance of removing that end and still have enough to get a bow? If not I think I would try to center the bow tip in the center of that hump. Osage can take the high crown and I may only be at the outer limb.

Muskyman:
Pat that shape runs most of the length of the stave. Half or more anyway. I’m not worried about it right now I ended up with 13 full sized staves and 9 billets out of my Osage. Most are really nice. Also have 6-8 pretty good hickory staves cleaned up.

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