Looking for staves

[WhistlingBadger]

I am in search of a few good, clean staves for making wide-ish (at least 2 1/2") and long-ish (at least 66") bows.  Hickory or similarly idiot-proof woods preferred, as I am just learning the art of tillering and need the practice.  I don't have a lot to trade, just some wild turkey feathers (I'd be happy to strip them for you), original music CDs (my stuff isn't awful, I almost promise), a bit of bear grease to barter.  I could part with some $$ if you want to PM me about it.

Thanks--
Thomas

[Hawkdancer]

Thomas,
Want to risk life and limb with a devil crabapple stave !  I am down to some one of each and not sure which to go for next. Btw, I am thinking of maybe a weekend bow gathering, maybe in mid June.
Real small gathering, bring food, we got water maybe, if we have at our place - dry camp if we have at our friend's farm.  Of course, that is very tentative depending on covid-19, and Little Fiddle Woman's approval.  Wives, Kids, and dogs welcome!
Hawkdancer

[WhistlingBadger]

Hey, Jerry.  I'm not to into devil staves at the moment; just trying to find some good, solid ones so I can get the hand of tillering before I move on to greater challenges.

Keep in touch about your gathering.  You're in northern Colorado, right?  Might be a fun road trip.

[gutpile]

you can find some decent staves on ebay.. usually wet but some are seasoned.. lots of osage, hickory , hackberry,,hornbeam, there is some yew but looks very expensive and IMO although I never built a yew bow not good wood..  even erc boards that look pretty clean .. plenty of pics to pic a good one.. that knotty ERC stave ..I'll answer you here.. not sure about that .. good ERC is hard to come by and you have the perfect example why.. knotty .. not good even with sinew IMO.. reason is area is unpredictable around knots and till can be stiff or unstable on knots.. just watch how knots check faster than any other part of stave..... around them too can be bad.. I'd keep looking for a cleaner stave IMO.. I know you hate to hear that.. but don't want you to waste good sinew and all that time involved.. an alternative is also finding two clean pieces about 36 " or so and splicing them.. now you can place a knot in handle area and get away with that...pm me your cell.. I'll send you a few pics of my cedar staves and how clean they are.... JM2C...gut

[WhistlingBadger]

Thanks, Gut.  This is rocky mountain juniper, not ERC, but I suspect it's about the same for bow-making purposes.  I know where I can find some bigger, maybe more knot-free trucks, so I'll keep looking.  Maybe make this one into a walking stick or a flute or something.

There are some decent looking ash staves on ebay right now; maybe I'll try that.

[Hawkdancer]

Thoms,
We moved to western Nebraska last June, Chappell to be exact, on I-80 about 120 mile east of Cheyenne.  Also closer to Lake McConaghy.  Pretty quiet little town except for the trains going through 24/7.
Jerry

[Digital Caveman]

I have clean ash for trade if you want.  It's not perfectly straight, it came from a 4" tree, but If you want it let me know.  Check the law before you order any ash though.  I'm not sure what regulations are in place as far as shipping ash goes.  I'm sure there are no borers in my wood, but I don't want to break the law.