Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: billmac on April 28, 2007, 10:50:48 pm
-
unless I'm desperate. Never again will I cut a tree for bow staves in the winter. I cut an elm last week and a red oak this morning. The elm yielded 8 staves and the oak yielded 13 nice staves. It took less time to debark all 21 staves today than to debark one winter-cut ash stave.
-
I tried that with a Hickory stave, it took several hours. Then I cut a cedar tree and that took about 2 min. two debark the two staves. I'm a believer! ;D
Sean
-
Never say never! ;) Pat
-
I do think that bark adheres differently to different woods. Advantage of leaving the bark on is that it controls drying and avoids checking.
-
The absolute best time to cut any bowwood is in Aug. or Sept. bar none I cut some hickory 2weeks ago and the bark peeled right off, but its plum full of sap and will check on you. If you wanna ruin good osage cut it now and see what happens, I found all this stuff out the hard way. In late Aug. the bark will still peel good and it wont check , cause the sap is already down. Trapper
-
I was dealing with this not too long ago, but I got frusterated and took a half dull pocket knife to it and it worked wonders. Just stand the stave up on it's end, hold it in one hand and make short, strong strokes with the pocket knife with the blade almost flat on the bark. Once you get the hang of it the bark with come off easily, but you'll be in no risk of ruining the back because the knife is too dull to do that. Seemed to work well for the few staves I tried it on, and they were all cut in the winter.
-
Ill never split an osage log on a 100+ degree day!! Give me the tough bark any day!! Auggie
-
Auggie: Luckily it's only in the 50s and 60s here so far. Plus I've never even seen an osage tree. Only white woods here.
-
Well I ll pass the secret that Rusty gave to me that day. Start poundin till ya pass out, then get up an start again. Osage is really tuff,suppose thats why it makes such a great bow! Auggie
-
On the other hand, I pounded an elm last week until the post maul started to disintegrate. I ended up sawing it instead.