anyone ever heard of sour wood?

[recurve shooter]

i think thats what its called. i know it grows in louisiana, nc, and mississippi for shure, prolly everywhere els. its a hard wood sprout. they look like theyd make good arras, the stuff grows it pretty big thickets or around the edges of fields. i got some near my house, trying to decide if i should try that or cane first. and do you streighten the stuff the same as cane?

recurve shooter,
who now shoots longbows.

[david w.]

ya it makes great arrows PatB just posted some sourwood arrows he made.

[recurve shooter]

oh, cool. how do ya streighten the stuff?

[Pat B]

Probably my favorite arrow wood!!!   Collect shoots that have small branches at the top instead of just leaf scars. That will be second year growth and makes a lot better arrow than first year growth(with leaves or leaf scars).   
   Below are the shoot arrows I posted recently. Not all are sourwood...one in maple, one is viburnum and one is cane. All the rest are sourwood.     Pat

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[Pat B]

Here is a mess I collected a few years ago and some arrows made with sourwood shoots.
  After you collect them, take a few and scrape the bark and cambium off, hand straighten a bit and wrap them in a bundle to dry. Bundle the remainder of you shoots with the bark on and place both in a dry place to begin the curing. If the de-barked ones don't check while drying, strip the others also. This will help them dry quicker. Once they dry a bit(a week or 2 but 2 months would be better) I coat the crooked areas with cooking oil and use our kitchen stove to heat the crooks(one at a time and them let cool completely) and hand straighten. Be aware that the hot wood will burn you.  These arrows don't have to be "Store Bought Straight" either. As long as the tip and nock line up and the shaft spins true they will shoot well.   Pat

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[david w.]

  These arrows don't have to be "Store Bought Straight" either. As long as the tip and nock line up and the shaft spins true they will shoot well.   Pat

no one thinks my rose shoot arrows will fly that well becasue they arent that straight but they always change their mind after watching me shoot them.

[recurve shooter]

cool, i just cut 20 shoots, everything from about 35 inches to 5 foot long. im about to go do what you said. should i cut the long ones in half? i aint got a camera or id post picturs. how many should i debark? other than that Pat B. about covered it.

[Pat B]

Just strip a few to be sure they won't check as they dry. Usually sourwood won't check but sometimes it does. If you haven't noticed any checking in a week, strip the rest of them. The longer shoots make good atlatl darts.  If you only want to make arrows with them cut off the section that is about 3/8" to 1/2" in diameter at the base(big end). It is possible to make arrows with the larger diameter stuff but you end up having to reduce the diameter for spine purposes and for appropriate arrow diameter so I usually don't mess with the larger stuff.     Pat

[recurve shooter]

thanx. about to go work on em. im gonna just chunck em up ontop of my house in the sun to dry. is this ok or should i keep em in the shed or something?

[david w.]

Pat do you seal your arrows?  so far i havent sealed any of mine

[Pat B]

Recurve, I would store them inside out of the elements. Even though sourwood arrows are some of the toughest shafts I've ever used, they are whitewood and very susceptible to rot if not treated properly. I usually keep the bundles of shoots next to the hot water heater in my utility room.
   David, Most hardwood shoot arrows do need to be sealed to help as a moisture barrier. I have used Tru-Oil, spray shellac, spray poly, Massey finish and pitch varnish to seal my hardwood shoot arrows. I do not seal cane arrows.      Pat

[david w.]

thanks!

[Pat B]

David, Did you see the PM I sent you?     Pat

[david w.]

o sorry let me check

[recurve shooter]

ok, cool. i just figured out that here i have been complaining about how i caint get any shafts, and im sitin in the middle of a freakin forist of em. i just got some debarked and bundled up, im about to go look for some more. real pretty day down here in southeastern la, gonna spend it outside. later guys, thanks for the info.