Buckthorn seasoning, heart or sapwood?

[Eric Kol]

Hello,
I have an abundant supply of buckthorn in my town. I can actually get a "bounty" at the garden store for bringing in cleared buckthorn. There are lots of organized buckthorn removals going on around!
I occasionally come accros usable lengths, as I did the other day. I have one 6-7" log, bark on, by 79" long, fresh cut. It's nice and straight, maybee a slight twist (won't find out untill I debark).

I have read that I should seal the ends and let it season for two years or more, bark on.

I'm wondering if I could split it, dip the ends and season indoors that way.

Or, rough the stave into a rough tiller and strap to a board inside to recurve the bow (while green), seal the ends and see what happens.

Also, should I use the heart wood on this tree as the back? The heart wood on this log is a nice dark orange. I'm pretty sure it will fade out some.

I have done other wood projects with buckthorn, but nothing like this. Seems like a great candidate for bow wood.

[M-P]

Eric,  I had to google 'Buckthorn" just to see what you're talking about, so take my suggestions with a grain of salt.   Two things I'm sure of - seal the ends of the log NOW and split the log before cracks start developing in all sorts of places.  I'm guessing that the staves will not take a full two years to season.  Woods dry faster if the bark is removed and it's usually easier to peel the log while it's green.  Unfortunately some woods crack badly if you peel them, so it's safer to leave the bark on for now.  I'm guessing that it can be treated as a 'white wood' and the wood just under the bark will be the best for the back of the bow.
The Bowyer's Bible vols 1-3 get mentioned a lot, 'cause the authors managed to put down answers to most of your questions.  This site also has many build alongs and some members have web sites with additional info.  Check out the hazelnut build along going on now.  Jawge has a website with info (if I remember right), but I don't remember the link.  You might pm him and ask.  Hopefully others will chime in with additional recommendations.
You may be one of the first to use buckthorn in recent years.  Definitely post your results and let us know how it turns out.  If it works well it may encourage others ton get out and cut down that noxious weed!
Ron

[DanaM]

Buckthorn is a species of Cascara(spelling). Around here its an invasive species. JD built a warbow with it check the warbow forum.
I would probably split, remove the bark and seal the back and ends with shellac or glue. Keep an eye on it if it starts to warp strap
it down. Perhaps you could split and seal one and leave one as a log. Good Luck

[Eric Kol]

Thanks for the tips guys,

I checked out the thread on Paleo world. Nice variety of woods being discussed.

I believe the type I have harvested is Rhamnus Cathartica.
I "removed" some more today, up to 5" logs and some smaller saplings. I figured I'd play around, as there is a lot of it here and it is very invasive. As it keeps its leaves late into the season it is even easier to find now that at any other time.
I varnised some of it, am going to split some, debark some etc, etc.