Wax currant?

[Mesophilic]

Anyone use wax currant for shafts?  I've found it growing all over the place and they look pretty straight with good diameters.   I've read online that it is a suitable shaft material but not really seeing anyone using or reviewing...and suitable and desirable  are quite different as I'm finding out with primative archery.

Thanks again guys.

[Hawkdancer]

Looking forward to your test reports !  If you cut now and peel, they should be dry in a month or so, as dry as it is out this way.
Hawkdancer

[Mesophilic]

They'll be dry in less than a week here in my lovely freeze dryer enviornment  . Now avoiding cracks is the challenge.

Ok, I'll take the plunge and let you guys know how they perform.

[Hawkdancer]

Leave about 3" bark on each end if you peel them.  Bark usually is easier to peel when it's fresh cut.
Hawkdancer

[Mesophilic]

Thanks, I'll give it a shot. 

[trail walker]

The Paiute in southern Utah would use current, for quick drying they would scrape off just the outer layer of bark to prevent cracking leave them for a week-ish( more or less depending on dryness and need for arrows) and then scrape them the rest of the way. I have had success with red osier dogwood and wild rose. it adds to scraping time but sure speeds up drying and I have had 0 cracked shafts from doing it. If You try it on some of them you should let us know how it works.

[Mesophilic]

So, I would essentially leave the green cambium layer until dry?

[archeryrob]

You scrape the bark and cambium off. I have done that with Multiflora rose and it works great. I have tried it with Viburnum and Russian olive and lots more shafts to splits than was acceptable. Every wood is different and you need to experiment.

[trail walker]

Yes, I leave the green cambium layer on untell they dry. But like Archeryrob said every wood is different and it might react differently. but everything I have tried it on so far it has worked. you could see if wax currant is ok with it too.