Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: bowkee on March 07, 2010, 05:28:47 pm
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What does that wood look like?
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I assume you're asking how to identify it in the field. Here's a picture of the bark of the stuff we grow in Canada:
(http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j191/zenmonkeyman/IMG_38371.jpg)
Restrict your stave search to understory growth, if the tree has it too easy it grows crookeder and with more branches. It grows pretty straight and largely has no real branches until 5 or 6 feet up. The branches then hug the main trunk and stay pretty close, they're kind of squiggly looking. Look carefully at the bark, the stretch marks follow the grain of the wood, so you can avoid cutting anything with too much twist, although rumor has it you can ignore the twist and just make a straight bow regardless of grain.
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Thanks Zenmonkeyman, Not what I found today, i'll keep serching. Thanks for the pic post
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Service berry should be blooming soon. We have a tree variety here on the east coast and it is one of the first native trees to bloom. Small, white , five part flowers.
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Hehe, blooming depends on your latitude I think...
I look for the candy cane bark, usually a couple saplings grow together in a coppice. I then look for the straightest ones with the straightest lines on the bark. I love the stuff, just dry slowly and... make sure it's dry when you bend it.
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... make sure it's dry when you bend it.
Does this answer my question about how you're doing with your saskatoon stave?
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Hehe, I've got 5 or 6 staves that are pretty dry by now. Roughed out soon after being felled last June.
I don't have the time (willpower) to finish up any of these so I'm making mini crossbows with the scraps.
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Wood interior is rather satiny.
[attachment deleted by admin]
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Oldbow: Russian submarine clock?
Regards Uwe
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well I guess I'm outa luck with service berry, Don't see it around here.