Black Locust vs Honey Locust----Is it too late to cut one since winters over?

[smokeu]

 IS THERE MUCH DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO? I have a whole thicket of these black locust saplings and was wondering is it too late to cut one for a bow? I live out in East Texas not sure if that matters but things are getting pretty green here. They have already started sprouting tiny new limbs and quite a few leaves?  If i cut one is it destined to crack on me as it dries? I wanted to cut one and start work right away... ive heard some folks used to do this so they could work the wood while green and retiller as it dries.

Thanks,

Mike

[El Destructo]

Never too late to cut Locust!! It peels better when Wet also..... But cut the Black.....Honey Locust will make a Good Bow....but it is Brittle compard to Black....Black Locust is some good wood!!

[smokeu]

Thanks!

[Pat B]

If you peel the bark off, be sure to seal the back and split the log or pole in half too.

[staveshaver]

 It has been my experience that a black locust sapling will be nothing but sapwood and virtually useless.( I'm curious if this is the case in your area as well?)but if you can find one with enough heartwood you're in business it is great bow wood.as long as you remove the sap wood (much easier when green)and seal the ends you should not have trouble with checking. good luck on your stave shavin.

[Pat B]

I would venture to say that locust sapwood is way more than useless! It handled properly it will make a good bow.

[african man]

Just finished a BL sapling  bow backed with rawhide . It was about 3-4" and quite knotty due to branches coming of the main stem. When still wet I debarked and rough shaped it ,decrowned the back and a bit of floor tiller. Decrowned the back because the back was too high and there were knots in it. I left it open for about 6 hours a day and put it in a plastic bag for the rest of the time to try and equalize the moisture content and slow the drying down a bit. This I did for about two weeks , increasing the open time as the wood dried. I have done one where I have only wrapped the thick handle area with plastic and left the limbs open , but it was more humid at the time.
Cut yourself a whole lot of staves , fast dry some of them , so you can start imediatly and leave some to dry with the bark on. Working green wood is much easier than working dry wood and I find myself working green wood and fast drying bow staves more and more.
Hope this helps.
Just go for it Mike , jump in boots and all ...

Chris   
 

[TRACY]

You can harvest wood anytime of the year if you need it. Some times are advantageous over others. Summer months the sap levels are up and the cambium layer under the bark comes off easier. Good luck!

Tracy

[Hillbilly]

Just be sealing it quick-locust will check worse than almost any other wood no matter when you cut it. I've found with locust that the bigger and older the tree, the better the wood, but I've made a good bow from a 5" sapling, too. The older trees seem to have denser wood that's less likely to fret than the smaller stuff.