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Author Topic: Black Locust  (Read 2675 times)

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Offline Will B

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Black Locust
« on: March 17, 2021, 05:54:12 pm »
I have a friend who was nice enough to let me cut a 12” diameter black locust tree that we split into 12 nice staves after de-barking. Bark popped right off and we took about half the sapwood down with the drawknife. Sealed the backs and ends with shellac. Hopefully I can start making bows with these next winter. Thank for the help Jim!
Will
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Offline WhistlingBadger

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2021, 06:01:27 pm »
Nice!  BL can make a hard-hitting bow.  Good luck.
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Lander, Wyoming
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Travel too fast, and you miss all you are traveling for."
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Offline Hamish

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2021, 07:46:40 pm »
I hope you sealed the staves back after debarking? If you don't it will check badly.
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Offline Will B

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2021, 08:36:06 pm »
Yep...Hamish I sealed the back and ends with two coats of shellac.
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2021, 09:08:54 pm »
Very nice haul!  Black Locust is one of my favorite bow woods. 
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Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2021, 10:03:06 pm »
Good to hear!
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Offline Hawkdancer

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2021, 03:22:43 am »
Nice haul!  That could be some great bows and trade material! :BB
Hawkdancer
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bownarra

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2021, 04:16:30 am »
It's risky leaving the sapwood on. Personally I'd remove all the sapwood.
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Offline Will B

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2021, 07:28:33 am »
Bownarra I will take the rest of the sapwood off and reseal the backs. Thanks
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Online bjrogg

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #9 on: March 18, 2021, 07:58:50 am »
Quote from: bownarra on March 18, 2021, 04:16:30 am
It's risky leaving the sapwood on. Personally I'd remove all the sapwood.


I was wondering about that to. I know on Osage it checks really easy and really deep.

You did good though. You will be glad you did all that prep work in the future.

Bjrogg
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Offline Deerhunter21

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2021, 08:17:28 am »
Dang! good haul!
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Offline M2A

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #11 on: March 18, 2021, 09:06:27 am »
Congrats! Sure enjoy the hunt for good resources. Nice work with that tree. I think it wise, if you got the time to get it down to hart wood too. Sap wood may or may not check, less chance of it happening with hart wood.
Mike
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #12 on: March 18, 2021, 10:47:56 am »
I have some black locust that I left sap wood on after the bark was peeled.  I sealed it up well with spray shellac.  Some staves checked and some didn't. I will be able to make a bow out if all of the staves though.  I made two bows with the sap wood and both turned out well.  The contrast between the sap wood and heart wood makes for a nice looking bow.
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Offline TimBo

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #13 on: March 18, 2021, 12:02:18 pm »
Definitely safer to take all of the sapwood off.  Getting most of it like you did might help, but it seems risky.  The first time I cut black locust, I left most of the sapwood on and pretty much ruined the staves - they checked very deeply.  Sapwood is also a real pain to remove once it hardens up. 
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Offline Fox

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Re: Black Locust
« Reply #14 on: March 18, 2021, 01:40:28 pm »
*jealous*  BL is quickly becoming my favorite wood... nice find :)
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