Thoughts on Hickory Board

[Parnell]

I was given this hickory board.  Haven't had a board like this with so thick heartwood growth rights.  How does the darker heartwood stand up?

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[adb]

I don't use hickory for anything other than backing strips. I don't think that board would be of much use to me. I know from experience that the darker heartwood is not as good. I look for clear sapwood boards for making backings.

[JW_Halverson]

I have built a few boardbows from hickory and several have had a dose of dark heartwood in them.  I am usually more concerned with how the grain runs out on the four corners of the wood.  From the view of the end grain, I would guess this may be a tough bow to pull out of the stock.  Remember, every grain run out on the back of the bow is another strike against your odds of survival. 

Ultimately, since you will have not much more than time invested in the bow, go for it!  Good luck!

[George Tsoukalas]

Hickory makes good bows whether from a log or board. That's a rift cut stave. I look at the edge grain to see how may run ups or run outs there are. More on my site. jawge
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/