Questions about fresh cut buckthorn

[GB]

Was out walking the dog yesterday and saw that one of my neighbors had just taken a tree down and had it all piled up along the curb.  I saw the dark heartwood and was hoping it was buckthorn and sure enough it is.  I kerfed and split it and sealed it.  It's a nice stave, 70" long, 4 1/2" diameter, and pretty straight with just a few small knots as far as I can tell.  It has a good 3 inches of reflex and I don't really want it to gain any more.  I'm thinking of roughing it down to bow size, keeping the limbs full width out to the tips and clamping it down to a board.  I'm not sure if I should remove the bark and then seal the back?  The other half of the stave has me thinking of making a R/D design.  It has the natural deflex in the center and I'd like to steam in some reflex past midlimb and out to the tips.  Can I do that right away while the wood is still wet? 

[mikekeswick]

I've had the best luck with slow seasoning with blackthorn. However i'm sure your plan of reducing it will work. I'd leave the bark on for sure and seal the ends very well. Put it somewhere dark and cool. Yes you can steam in some reflex to your other half but again seal it well afterwards.

[PatM]

"Buckthorn" not Blackthorn.

[missilemaster]

Take off the bark, cut it down to just above bow dimensions, and seal the back of it very well with shellac. If you dont debark, the sapwood will start to decay. If you dont seal it, it will check bad.

[GB]

Thanks for the advice, guys. 

[Springbuck]

  Blackthorn is related to plum, isn't it?  I don't know how closely.  Either way, it is prudent to exercise the utmost caution in drying an unfamiliar wood.  So, yeah, reduce carefully, seal, dry slowly, all of that.

[PatM]

BUCKthorn!  It is a Cascara relative, not a plum like Blackthorn.

[GB]

Yes, it's Buckthorn, as Pat has pointed out.  It's an invasive species here in Wisconsin.  I had a nice chat with the elderly gentleman who owns the property.  He reminisced about Lemonwood bows and was surprised to hear that Buckthorn was bow wood.  His son is a local tournament shooter, but I don't know if he shoots traditional.  Then he drove off in what looked like a new Corvette.
I'm stripping the bark off and sealing it well and will take it down to size ASAP.  It's cool in my basement and will dry slowly there and hopefully, not check.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I love the stuff. Treat is as Cody advised above and you should be fine. He has made more buckthorn bows than anybody I know. And they are quality weapons.

[GB]

Sounds good, PD.  I saw one of Cody's buckthorn bows when I did the search on here and it's a beauty.  Some really fine buckthorn bows by others on here as well.

[Swampman]

I just cut a piece of buckthorn last weekend.  I stripped the bark and sealed the back.  I looked at it last night and it checked very very badly.  I guess it needs to be sealed with more than one coat of sealer. It is now on my burn pile drying out.  I will get more this weekend and try again and seal it up better.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Lots of sealer and a SLOW dry in 45-55% humidity with no sun or wind. My basement is the perfect wood drier. Its takes a while, but I don't get checks from over-heating or rapid moisture escape.