Hazel longbow

[jameswoodmot]

I made 2 hazel bows but I had to use hazel for basket weaving to appreciate how much different hazels can be based on soil and sun exposition.
Usually a dark bark with silver like reflections combined with a position under heavy shadeing canopy is a good indicator of dense layers and good bow wood quality

I’ve been wondering the same thing for the same reason. Had a play the year before last with Hazel baskets and only had one small success. Trying to find the right Hazel and work out how long to leave it and in what condition to be able to get the strips off proved to be too much effort for more than one small basket.

This piece was the lovely silvery growth that was exactly as you said, under canopy. I’ve been wondering how the flakey green/ brown barked Hazel would fair but I’m less keen to find out the hard way now you’ve said!

I blew up a much larger Hazel bow yesterday evening, I managed to cook the back too much but until that point it was doing great!

[JW_Halverson]

I made 2 hazel bows but I had to use hazel for basket weaving to appreciate how much different hazels can be based on soil and sun exposition.
Usually a dark bark with silver like reflections combined with a position under heavy shadeing canopy is a good indicator of dense layers and good bow wood quality

I’ve been wondering the same thing for the same reason. Had a play the year before last with Hazel baskets and only had one small success. Trying to find the right Hazel and work out how long to leave it and in what condition to be able to get the strips off proved to be too much effort for more than one small basket.

This piece was the lovely silvery growth that was exactly as you said, under canopy. I’ve been wondering how the flakey green/ brown barked Hazel would fair but I’m less keen to find out the hard way now you’ve said!

I blew up a much larger Hazel bow yesterday evening, I managed to cook the back too much but until that point it was doing great!

Just out of curiosity, is this the same hazel that yields hazelnuts?

[jameswoodmot]

Yes the same Hazel, Corylus avellana.

However, in the U.K. there are cultivated versions that are for nut production (as opposed to coppice for charcoal and timber), and also ornamental versions. Also there is Filbert (Corylus maxima) which is basically the same but the nuts are a bit different. Then there is the American Hazel Corylus Americana which you guys call Hazelnut.

I find it very hard to tell them apart and I think as gilsgils poured out the growing condition effect the timber more than the subspecies