Can I leave birch bark on a bow?

[DuBois]

I have a large white birch log split in 2. It is about 12" across. I peeled the bark off 1/2 and still have the bark on the other. Can I make a bow with the bark on with a log that big if I let it cure that way? Or, should I just bebark all of it.

Also, can I save the bark for future projects?

Thanks in advance, Marco

[Pat B]

Marco, IMO you would be better removing the bark then glueing it back after the bow is done. Birch bark like choke cherry bark grow around the trunk instead of lengthwise like most other barks and the strength runs around the tree instead of up and down so the backing strip should be peeled around the trunk.

[Thesquirrelslinger]

I have found it likes to crack(Elm and many other woods bark is weak in tension) if its strained enough. It might even start splinters in your bow. I blew up an elm sapling bow not too long ago doing that.

[Joec123able]

I have found it likes to crack(Elm and many other woods bark is weak in tension) if its strained enough. It might even start splinters in your bow. I blew up an elm sapling bow not too long ago doing that.

I'm not gonna say your wrong about that because I haven't used it but I've seen people back bows with birch bark so why do you say that ?

[Badly Bent]

I'd recommend doing as Pat said. I'm just finishing a birch back mulberry bow and I think the look is pretty neat. Also save spare bark for other projects like quivers and such. Heres a pic of how it looks on this bow and a kids quiver I made also. Good luck and show us pics
when your done.

[DuBois]

I'd recommend doing as Pat said. I'm just finishing a birch back mulberry bow and I think the look is pretty neat. Also save spare bark for other projects like quivers and such. Heres a pic of how it looks on this bow and a kids quiver I made also. Good luck and show us pics
when your done.

That bow finish looks really great and I have ideas for a quiver now also . Might take me a while to get around to using the bark but when I do I will do as Pat suggested and I will keep the bark off the second half for backing and quivers.  peeled the first half lengthwise so it is not much good now 
As always, thanks for the info, Marco

[Thesquirrelslinger]

I have found it likes to crack(Elm and many other woods bark is weak in tension) if its strained enough. It might even start splinters in your bow. I blew up an elm sapling bow not too long ago doing that.

I'm not gonna say your wrong about that because I haven't used it but I've seen people back bows with birch bark so why do you say that ?

If you don't remove the bark(keep bark intact) it does it.
also the bark is probably not as strong in tension as the wood lengthwise, and if you leave it on the bow it often will crack and cause problems. I mean literally cutting the tree, not debarking it, and letting it dry, not touching the bark, then making a bow without removing the bark. It will likely crack. If you take it off and glue it on... I dunno what would happen.

Now with wild cherry, its a whole another story

[dbb]

I only know of the birches in sweden where i live but here they have a pretty thick cambrium that is very brittle when dried out and is very good at reabsorbing water,so as all others i say take it off

[sylvanbowyer]

I agree with dbb. The cambium layer will be very brittle. A friend of mine made a birch bow and left the bark on. It sounded like popcorn when he pulled it and the bow suffered a swift death. It was pretty but the bark and cambium must be removed.

[PatM]

You definitely need to remove it, get the thick inner bark off and then re-apply the papery stuff in a linear or diagonal orientation. All bark is not alike.