White wood cut in winter. What about the bark?

[wood_bandit 99]

I have some elm,hickory,pecan,red oak, and persimmon that a friend let me cut down before the tree trimmers bulldozed the area. How do I get the bark off? Do I do it on stave form or when the bow is made and what part of the bow making? I have heard people making them with bark on the back, how would I do that? Sand it down? To what thickness? Thanks for any feedback

[dwardo]

I tend to rough out the bow profile and leave the bark on for a few weeks or so then remove it.
Its harder to remove the bark as time goes on but I have had less problems with the back checking.
Some coat the back of the bow as soon as the bark has been removed but even this was i have had the back check. But i do rush my seasoning.

[Buckeye Guy]

I like to get the bark off before spring thaw, so the bugs are all gone before they hatch !
The critters can cause all kinds of trouble !
After I split it ( I tend to split close to size) I Rip it off with a draw-knife !!
Have fun !
Guy

[George Tsoukalas]

Get close with a dknife and then scrape off the rest with a scraper like tool.  Easy does it so as not to violate a ring. Jawge

[NeolithicMan]

If I cut in winter I like hickory, get the bark off and leave traces of inner bark on as a sort of natural camo pattern. Most other woods I cut in spring and summer when I can just rip bark off

[wood_bandit 99]

I could see doing that with hickory and pecan and persimmon because they have thinner bark but what about that oak that I cut? I think i may leave the bark on some of those because the bark is thick and that would be absolutely killer camo in a tree!   how would I do that? Sand it down or leave it full thickness? Thanks guy for your responses

[George Tsoukalas]

The bark  will  dry out and fall off. Been there. I left some one a bow, it let loose and the bow broke. Jawge