Good haul

[Allyn T]

Burntstick this hackberry feels heavy but that's probably just because it's fresh and wet. Gut I did debark 2 of the hackberry but I didn't like it, the wood was wet enough that sometimes the inner bark would rip little strips out of the back. Think I'll let the rest season with the bark on. That's not a bad idea selfbowman

[Eric Krewson]

I have cut osage for the last 25 years, I quit 3 or 4 years ago when old age got the best of me,  I cut enough osage trees to get over 300 staves and a bunch of billets.

Two things, you probably have wood wasp eggs in you osage staves bark, they go to work after you cut the tree. You can spray the bark with a strong insecticide and keep the wood wasps and powder post beetles at bay for a while but seldom forever.

It is about 1/3rd the work removing green bark and sapwood over seasoned, it slices off pretty green. Like was mentioned the sapwood has to come off with the bark. There is a wood sealing product called Anchor Seal that is supposed to let you leave the sapwood on without checking but I have never used it.

[Allyn T]

Eric what if I want a sapwood backed bow

[rps3]

I like sapwood backed osage when it lets me get an extra split. I let season bark on, and spray the bark down with insecticide for a couple years. Work the belly side down reasonably well and when I take the bark off after a couple years, checking hasn't been a problem.

[Allyn T]

Rps thats perfect

[M2A]

Congrats on the on the find. Always exciting when you find some good material to work.
Mike

[Hamish]

I usually get away with sapwood not checking with 2 coats of glue on the back(not always), 3 hasn't failed me yet.

These have been worked down into just over floor tiller sized staves, not left as splits. Only one or 2 rings of sapwood, just for the contrast. That being said I prefer all heartwood for a hunting bow.

[Allyn T]

M2a yes I really enjoy finding resources to use. Hamish that is exactly why I'm so leary on hedge, it's a lot of extra care and coddling. Im gonna just leave the bark on and let em rest, if they don't make it I'll have some hot burning firewood

[BowEd]

It can be pretty neat look leaving the sapwood on osage.Don't see it often enough.
Here's a couple staves with the sapwood on.Even some cambium left on while draw knifing before shellacking it.Out of the ordinary.
I cut this log.Left it lay about a year on the ground in the woods along a wash.It was in some very rough ground only accessable on foot.Came back across it while shed hunting.The bark fell off it revealing the cambium and sapwood.Sapwood was already shrunk down and dried.Eventualy left long enough that sapwood will rot off while laying there.
Totally surprised that not even 1 wood wasp got to that sapwood because I've got them here.
I've gotten lots of staves from pond work and brush piles before.Usually they are ridden with wasp holes but still make bows.
I know a fella I was shooting with telling me he had a huge stock pile of staves.Bark left on.Said he treated them with an insecticide.Storing them outside under cover.He still had wasp holes all over in his staves so it's a gamble.
Chasing holes out of osage can get to be a lot of extra work as some can go pretty deep and the wood is hard as a rock.
Good luck with yours.

[Allyn T]

That is a cool look and I think once the heartwood turns brown with exposure the contrast would be more striking. I'm gonna store these in my basement so hopefully that helps keep the insects out.

[bentstick54]

Spray them down with something even storing in the basement. The eggs can still be in them and hatch in the basement. I’ve been there and done that.

[Eric Krewson]

Nothing wrong with a sapwood backed bow but there is sapwood and there is sapwood, you usually have more than you need to back the bow. The sapwood on your stave is fairly thick, if it were me I would take off all but a ring or two if you want a sapwood backed bow.

I have found if you leave thick sapwood on you are most likely to have cracks as you season the stave. I cut most of the sapwood off my staves with a bandsaw then clean it up later with a drawknife, I have found that a well sealed a ring or two of sapwood seldom cracks, it is the thick stuff that gets you.

I think this is the thickest sapwood I ever encountered on an osage stave, I split it off instead of trying to cut it off.

[BowEd]

You can even have a blended sapwood bow ring.Done that too but then the contrasting line on the side grain is'nt as visible.Your sapwood is very thin on your stave to begin with.

[Allyn T]

My my that is a very thick sapwood stave.