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Splitting Hickory Staves

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superdav95:
I usually harvest 15-20 hickory staves a year.  I try to wait till more into late spring or early summer and the bark just slips off after I split them up.  For larger diameter trees 7-8” or larger I’ll split it into quarters then split those again into eighths.  I run my wedges on the bark side and leap front along my way down the stave.  If there is a natural crack already started I’ll use it to start.  In colder weather I’ve tried to use a propane torch to lightly heat up the bark and it can assist in slipping bark.  Don’t scorch it but get it warm.  I’ve had mixed results with this and prefer to just do it in the summer time to avoid hassle.  I seal with a brush on water based poly sealer on the ends and the entire back.  This should help with keeping the moisture loss isolated to the belly wedge.  I do not use a chalk line or a skill saw on hickory.  It’s pretty straight grain.  I only do this with elm or yew logs maybe.  Get some good wedges and a mall hammer you’ll be good.  Another thing you could do is if the bark dose t slip is to draw knife most of bark off then use a wall paper steamer and a full spoon to go along and carefully scrape the remaining cambium off with steam.  This works well actually but it takes time.  Best of luck. 

Pat B:
Trying to split a small diameter stave, 2" to 4", is difficult and can ruin at least one side. For small diameter I use my bandsaw to saw the "pole", considering limbs, knots or other maladies so the backs are as clear as possible. After they are sawn in half I bind them back together with spacers between the 2 sides for good air flow. The pics below is a 2" to 3" osage I cut recently and will give them a few months at least before working them. I sealed the ends with shellac but am leaving the bark on to seal the back. I'll probably remove the bark a bit later before the grubs wake up hungry.

WackEM:
Thanks guys. I split it up this evening and I got 5 staves out of a 7” log. Could have maybe got more on a couple of the staves but didn’t want to chance it. I put a couple of thick coats of shellac on the back and ends so I hope it keeps it from splitting. I appreciate all the help. Hopefully I can get time to build another one. I work with my dad and he’s 80 years old and we work every day so it’s hard to find the time but I made it work last year so I can do it again. Thanks

JW_Halverson:

--- Quote from: Pat B on April 05, 2024, 06:27:09 pm ---Trying to split a small diameter stave, 2" to 4", is difficult and can ruin at least one side. For small diameter I use my bandsaw to saw the "pole", considering limbs, knots or other maladies so the backs are as clear as possible. After they are sawn in half I bind them back together with spacers between the 2 sides for good air flow. The pics below is a 2" to 3" osage I cut recently and will give them a few months at least before working them. I sealed the ends with shellac but am leaving the bark on to seal the back. I'll probably remove the bark a bit later before the grubs wake up hungry.



--- End quote ---

I have a pair like that sawn from a small diameter hop hornbeam tree I cut last december. I found this tree about a decade ago and marked it by leaning a piece of old car fender up against it. From time to time I reminded myself to go cut the tree and get it curing out, but just didn't get around to it. Finally got out this last winter and to my surprise, it was about half as big in diameter as I remembered it!!! Had to have shrunk, no way I could have misremembered...right?

bassman211:
I stored a hickory log in my garage rafters back in the day quartered, and wet before I knew  better. They all twisted, and were useless in the end. After that with hickory I got the staves to floor tiller wet, and clamped them to a 4 inch reflex form, and let them dry in my basement. I have enough forms to take care of the staves ,and they dry faster. If I want to fire harden one, I take it off the form string it backwards, and toast the limbs over an open fire with leather welding gloves.I get good results with hickory that way. More than one way to skin a cat.

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