I'm Addicted To Staves!

[Eric Krewson]

I have lost more staves to deep checks than I care to admit by taking the bark off but not the sapwood.

[Marc St Louis]

As long as you don't start smoking them....oh wait, smoking them is acceptable

[sleek]

I dont debark them. I just split and seal. When I do debark I take them to rough bow dimension and then no more worries.

[Sidewinder]

One of the other benefits to debarking down to the heartwood is you can see clearly any challenges you might face ie..knots etc. So when you go to grab a stave to work on you can size it up pretty clearly.

[crooketarrow]

   Thats a sweet color is'nt it. Some nice staves there in 10 years bettter in 20.

 I kinda started in the same way. Just a little biger. I cut and split 150 osage staves that first spring 23 Years later I've just ran out of osage staves last fall. Had to buy the last couple. Along the way I've cut and split 100's of other wood staves.

 I have a friend that use to build wood recurves. He quit about 10 years ago. Him and his freind use to go up DENEN HILL and that osage staves up there by the truck load. He must have 50 staves he keap for is self. He lets me have them for $20 a peice for 15 ,20 year old osage. Not bad.

  It can be adictive Like I said I started 23 years ago. I still build a bow or 3 a year.

 It helps to have a very understanding old lady.  Your wife could be in trouble.

 

[Springbuck]

  You are not alone.  I live in white wood territory, and I have way more wood than I ever get around to working, plus all thebiows I started that threw me a surprise and I need to get back to...

[paco664]

Well down here in Miami we're in a desert. .. nothing really but Australian pine. . I did find a nice piece of seagrape yesterday. .

Tomorrow I'm taking a ride north to see what I see.