Hickory hard to peel, thoughts?

[FRITZ 86]

I cut down a hickory today,probably 12-14" diameter at the base. Got a great 9 ft clean,straight section out of it. Got it home, split it into quarters and started to peel the bark. Let me say I attempted to peel the bark, I been working on it the last 3 hrs. I'm having to draw knife some of it off. Is it too, late in the yr for the bark to peel right off? My other question was if anyone has tried soaking staves in a pond for awhile and if this made the bark come off easier. Last hickory I cut was in April and the bark peeled off with no problem. Just curious, I'll get it peeled regardless.

[Pat B]

It may depend on local weather conditions but tree bark should still slip now.
 I prefer to cut whitewoods in the spring because the ring under the bark has had time to mature over the winter. If cut late in the summer the ring under the bark was just layed down this growing season.

[TRACY]

It is late in the year for bark to peel off not to mention drought conditions here in IN. I like leaving the cambium layer on in a camo pattern on the backs even though it's a lot of work. Not real sure about soaking it in a pond.

Tracy

[osage outlaw]

I cut a large hickory tree in October one year and the bark was stuck tight.  I would start at the end of the stave and work the drawknife under the bark and then rotate it up.  It would loosen it and enough to slide the drawknife down a few more inches and do it again.  I was able to get the bark off in long strips.  It left a thin layer of stringy cambium on the stave which was easy to remove with a drawknife and a scraper.


I tried experimenting with wetting the bark on some HHB staves this summer.  I covered the bark with rags and kept them soaked with water for several days.  The bark never released.  It did make the cambium softer and easier to remove with a gooseneck scraper.

[FRITZ 86]

Thanks for the input, fellows. I just finished up with my quarters. Got the bark off pretty much as you suggested Osage. I think in the future, I'll just try and cut in the spring as you suggest Pat. I should be good for wood for awhile. Being conservitive, I should get 7 to 8 quality staves out of my haul today.

[okie64]

I cut a couple hickories and an ash down last weekend while I was trimming up shooting lanes and I couldnt get the bark to slip off any of them. I figured it was because of the drought we're in the middle of. To be honest I ended up just leavin them layin out in the woods because it was so hot I didnt feel like messin with them. You got me thinkin bout that pond idea though. Last fall I cut a sugar maple tree down and threw one of the logs in the pond behind my house because it had carpenter ants in it. When I get a chance I'll go fish it out and see how it works out.

[FRITZ 86]

Cool, Okie. Let me know how it goes when you fish it out of the pond.

[turtle]

I got the chance last week to harvest a little hickory along with some hackberry and hard maple. Bark wouldnt peel on any of it. I chalked it up to the realy dry weather we had.

[Pat B]

If you are in a drought area the trees have probably shut down to conserve water so the growing season has probably stopped. You can tell a lot about climate history from tree rings.

[blackhawk]

Yup,the drought conditions have shut the sap off. Pearlie n I cut an elm sapling this weekend and the bark wouldn't slip either. Ill just say I won't be cutting any other whitewoods this year,and next year might not be such a good year either cus this years ring will be teeny tiny.

[FRITZ 86]

Unlike some of you guys in the midwest. We have had tons of rain in Louisiana this year, but no rain in the last few weeks and temps in the upper 90's. After spending about 4 hrs getting the bark off my hickory quarters yesterday, I believe I will just cut my wood in the spring, unless I'm in a bind. Being a rookie, I didn't have any wood put back that was drying, is why I cut one this late anyway.

[okie64]

Well the whole pond idea didnt work worth a crap. I retrieved the maple log outta the pond last night and the bark started peeling really good for about the first 3 inches from the end but the rest of it was glued down tight.

[FRITZ 86]

That's what I was afraid of. Thanks for checking it out, Okie.

[hammerstone]

i really don't think the drought has much to do with it.i,ve been peeling bark since late may and have watched it progressively get tougher.in may i  just pulled it off , now im using the draw knife,and we have been in a drought this entire time.

[RBLusthaus]

I never did this - but I heard of guys putting hickory staves in a hot shower for half and hour or so, then debarking.