Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: BowJunkie on June 09, 2011, 02:54:52 am
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Is it possible to make a bow from woods that have been submerged "under water" for loooooooooooong periods of time ? , and by that I mean many years?
specifically Osage, Hickory, Pecan
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Interesting question . From what I've read is that wood does degrade over time underwater , how fast depends primarily on temperature , water ph and so on . If no critters start munching on it then fungus sets in . Bad news for woods that you want to keep their resilient properties such as bow wood. Very cold water preserves wood the best.
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dont recall where i read this and cant find it on the net anywhere. do think i read it in a book....that na folks would sometimes "season" bow wood by placing in running water. dont recall what wood or how long. sorry-that's not really saying much of anything...
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Robert Hardy in his book "A Social and Military History of the English Longbow" talks about how bowyers used to cure yew staves by leaving them in streams or moving water for a couple years. I think you have to consider several factors with your wood, such as: was it submerged in moving water, was it shallow water that would likely be filled with critters and fungus when it warmed, was the wood 'continually' under water without any chance of partial drying, and lastly, what kind of tree? I would think your denser, oiler hardwoods would be less likely to have been compromised. It seems like Hardy also mentioned time spent trying to wash the salt out of the staves that went down in the "Mary Rose". You might also have to give consideration to how long the wood should dry out before beginning to tiller and how fast it should be allowed to dry out.
Good luck, keep us posted.
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It really depends on the conditions of the water. They did manage to test some of the Mary Rose bows.
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If the water is cold and low in oxygen then it should be fine. There's a whole industry in the Pacific NW around retrieving old growth fir logs from the bottom of the Columbia River that were deposited there over 100 years ago.
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I seen that on TV, I think also from some of the great lakes.But I think you are right ,the water is cold and deep. :) I don't think sunk in a pond would would work. ;) :) :)
Pappy
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Osage might survive for a looooong time. Hickory and pecan...not so much.
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I read Robert Hardys book as well. I believe Paul Comstock talks about leaving osage in streams to prevent drying checks. He said he doesnt suggest doing the same with any white woods.
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Al Herrin in his book 'Cherokee Bows and Arrows" describes the process. Apparently, his people used it. Jawge
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Oak that is submerged in saltwater with no shipworm (like the baltic sea) blackens and is conserved for centurys.
I have made some knifehandles out of the stuff and it is hard as rock, so if you get a piece big enough i think it can make a good bow.
Too bad its as expensive as silver ::)
/Mikael
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I found a log of osage that had been in the Alabama River long enough to rot the sap wood completey off. It had no bug holes, so I am guessing it was submerged right after it got washed into the river. I found it in a pile of drift wood after the river had gotten up last year, I sawed it up, split it and carried it out. It had long longitudal splits running the length of the log, it split easier than any osage I have tried. I gave a piece to Jeff, he was going to make a bow this summer if he was able to find the time. The rest is still out in the barn, it isn't doing any splitting or checking. It looks just like weathered osage, just like a fence post. Bill
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Bill- I've roughed it out and have it at full tiller. I've never worked osage aged longer than about 2 years and this has been a treat so far. It is some cool wood for sure!
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Saxton Pope also wrote of curing wood this way!
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Well ,,, mainly what I was getting at, is here in texas I know of a few rivers that have submerged trees and have been fully submerged for long "several years" periods of time.
I know what kind of tree was sitting on the bank when it eroded away and fell in. These spots do not have strong currents to wash the trees away, and they still show up on my fish finder. Just curious if anyone had made a bow from submerged woods.
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They are still pulling out Virgin Birdseye Maple from Lake Superior...that was cut over 150 years ago...and sunk during the float to the Saw Mills...and it's like it was cut last month...