Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: RyanY on March 22, 2010, 01:09:48 am
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So I cut some hickory a few weeks ago and didn't take the bark off. I could already tell it wasn't going to come off as easily as it does in the summer. How can I get the bark off easily so that that first layer is the back of the bow? I've heard a hot steamy shower does the trick. Any suggestions?
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That or soak it in a Tub for a day...then peel it....JMO
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Thanks El D. I thought this thread would get a reply quickly. No I've also heard that the bark will eventually just pop off. Know if that's true? Thanks.
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yep hicory can be a real bitch to get off i say stick it in the shower probly the easiest wat tnt my 2nd choice ;D brock
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If you wait and let it pop Off...make sure that you don't take it down too fast...because when it does start to pop off....it will change the Tiller on You also
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It will eventually pop off but it takes several years for that to happen,I just take it off with a draw knife,you just have to be careful not to violate the back.Once you get the bark off you can scrape
the last layer off [the brown stuff] with a scraper.I don't know about the soaking,never tried it. That is why I cut it when the sap is up.Much easier. :)
Pappy
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I do it like Pappy said-drawknife w/the bevel down, then clean it up with a scraper. Not nearly as much trouble as people make it out to be. You should be able to debark a stave in a half-hour or so. Some people who think nothing of chasing a ring in the middle of a gnarly, knotty osage stave act like it's impossible to take the bark off a piece of hickory. ;D Threre's no way I'm soaking a hickory stave in water as hard as that stuff is to get dry.
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I always thought it was being counter-productive to soak hickory in water to get the bark off, as humid as our summers get in AL it would take 100 years to bring the MC back down to the right level and only 30 minutes and some elbow grease to take the bark off dry... :)
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The stave I got from Steve at.the Classic last year....I soaked it for a couple hours...and the Bark came right off...Cambium and all....and the M/C was back to 6 Percent in a week.....I don't seem to have any trouble with moisture here..... >:D
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...said the Texan ;D
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Texas Desert Dweller....... >:D
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Drawknifing it off isn't that hard. Get it close to the inner bark, let that dry (and change color), then scrape it off. Just did that myself on a few. I was suprised, I had thought it would be the most horrific experiene of my life. Guess not ;)
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Getting the bark off of Hickory isn't that bad of a deal. Put the drawknife to it and when you get down to the cambium layer just use the scraper and take it off. So what if it takes a little more time to get that last layer off. I am in know hurry to make a bow any way. Dean
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Just wait a couple of years and the bark pops off? How many is a couple? Buddy gave me a stave that shows it was cut in '95. Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
Are we there yet?
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Thanks for the input everyone. I can't work on my staves now since I'm at school but I'll be sure to take you're advice.
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I had one that I just scraped the rough texture off and had the cambium showing through in some spots. Liked the look of it so proceeded to tiller the bow. Got to where it was shooting at half draw, and suddenly almost all of the bark popped off all at once. Messed with the tiller like El D said. Now I always remove the bark, because when that stuff popped off, I thought that was the end of the bow. It made a terrible crack, and the bow went weak in my hand.
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;)