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Author Topic: Russian Olive Bow  (Read 12130 times)

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Offline Dave Scherbel

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Russian Olive Bow
« on: February 27, 2009, 10:42:56 pm »
Hi folks.  I Actually found a straight piece of russian olive!  Anyway, if anybody whose ever used this wood, I was wondering if I should remove the sapwood and also, what kind of dimensions have worked well for you?
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Russian Olive Bow
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2009, 11:32:02 pm »
I've never worked with Russian olive but I would consider it a whitewood as far as bows go and over build it as best you can. What are the dimensions of your stave?
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

nickf

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Re: Russian Olive Bow
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2009, 04:35:58 am »
do it for sure, or at least send the stave to an experienced bowyer. Í doubt anybody has made a olive bow in the past 50years, it would be really, really unique!
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Offline cowboy

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Re: Russian Olive Bow
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2009, 11:30:41 am »
I'd be interested in seeing this one. I have an Aunt in Santa Fe with Russian olive everywhere, I've been wondering about it.
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Offline Justin Snyder

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Re: Russian Olive Bow
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2009, 11:39:33 am »
It is super dense, but can be a little brittle.  Justin
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SW Utah

Offline Hillbilly

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Re: Russian Olive Bow
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2009, 12:43:30 pm »
I've made a few arrows and atlatl darts from it, but haven't tried it as a bow.
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Offline M-P

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Re: Russian Olive Bow
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2009, 01:21:09 pm »
Hi,  I was pm'ing with bcbull a couple of months ago.  He has nmade a couple of russian olive bows and is planning on collecting some more staves when the weather warms a little.  He said it makes a nice bow.  Russian olive is not a real olive and is an invasive non native plant, so I say any reason to cut one down is a good reason.    I certainly hope to get a stave and so I can give it a try.   RonRon
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Offline Justin Snyder

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Re: Russian Olive Bow
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2009, 04:47:31 pm »
I don't know how it can not be a real olive, russian olive trees gets green olives.
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Everything happens for a reason, sometimes the reason is you made a bad decision.


SW Utah

Offline sailordad

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Re: Russian Olive Bow
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2009, 06:33:22 pm »
are they edible and if so would it grow in mn?

i love olives
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John B.

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Re: Russian Olive Bow
« Reply #9 on: February 28, 2009, 07:29:40 pm »
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Offline Justin Snyder

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Re: Russian Olive Bow
« Reply #10 on: February 28, 2009, 10:03:41 pm »
It is not a true olive, not related to the other olives. It is actually closely related to the silver buffaloberry. It does bear a small green fruit that is sweet tasting. It is a super invasive species and should not be planted.
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Everything happens for a reason, sometimes the reason is you made a bad decision.


SW Utah

Offline bcbull

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Re: Russian Olive Bow
« Reply #11 on: February 28, 2009, 11:30:29 pm »
 ok guys im gonna be honest here   i have more russian olive than i know what to do with so i did make as few bows out of it  and i removed all the sap seems  to want to ck like osage sap does and justin is right is silmar to a buffalo berry  i dont agree to go wide i   make it just as you would make a hikcory bow   some more denser than other s and as justin said some is brittle each tree is diffrent  the color of the wood makes a real nice wood  biggest plm i had with it is some of it took a lot more set then id like  had one take 3 1/4 in set  but then maybe i didnt have it dry enough  they r cuttin it all and piling it  up trying to kill it off here cuz they say 1  tree drinks 60 gal water a day  i dont belive it  so i went cut a few nice pieces out of the pile soon as it warms up i do intend to go cut some prime choice trees and try again  im looking to making one as a static recurve and heat treat the belly and see what happens  will keep you posted  it defintly is a good wood to do some expermiting with   brock
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Offline Dave Scherbel

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Re: Russian Olive Bow
« Reply #12 on: March 01, 2009, 12:47:31 am »
Hi, thanks for all the replies.  I found the wood along the river in Spanish Fork, UT, along this city walking path, I figured, a piece as straight as that just had to be cut and tried.  So far I've had bad luck with staves, they always seems to break on me.  I think that's partly because I was using some birch I had and they were just too short I'm guessing.  So I split it yesterday while it was still green, I cut a kerf in the wood to start the split and I swear the wood just jumped apart in perfect halves.  I ended up with 3 real good 7 foot long quarters and the fourth piece kinda wandered funny.  this first piece I'll go down to the heart wood... I don't know dimensions yet but for length probably about 68 inches about 60# or there about.  We'll see what happens.  It has pretty tight rings on the outside of the heartwood but towards the center they're thicker.  It's real real pretty in the heartwood. I'll keep posting as it goes.  It'll have to dry for a while though first.
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Offline BigWapiti

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Re: Russian Olive Bow
« Reply #13 on: March 02, 2009, 01:08:51 am »
I also have a few staves drying that I cut last summer - its pretty wood and so looking forward to also giving it a try.  Maybe its time to stoke the fire in the shop...  haven't had the gumption to go out in the cold lately.
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Mike B.
Central Washington State
"Take a kid hunting, it'll make a WORLD of difference" -me
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