Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: zonic on June 02, 2019, 08:58:55 am
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I am ready to attempt 2nd self bow. I was gifted a Hop Hornbeam stave, and am ready to debark and get started. But I'm concerned about how to safely debark without violating back. Any advice very appreciated. Thanks.
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Get the bark off with a draw knife but leave the cambium. That can be removed later with a scraper or it might just pop off wnen you start flexing the bow.
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Hop Horn beam is my personal favorite bow wood. I am attempting the same process now. The best I have come up with is a very sharp knife and chisel, and proceed very slowly. This is the first time I have left the bark on for curing. I usually debark in the spring when I cut it and then seal it VERY well. I will keep using that method after this experience.
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Like Pat said. Unless you have access to a really good power washer. Preferably with hot water burner. That's what I use now. It leaves a perfect back.
Using Pat's method don't worry about getting all the cambium off. You can leave some in the depressions and it makes a pretty cool camouflage pattern.
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for the cambium: boiling water / steam and a hard brush. i have used metal grill brush cross the grain. cheers
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Get close with a draw knife and then use a scraper to remove the rest. Jawge
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If you're scraping HHB you're violating the back. Use steam or thin it and wet it and then use a spoon to push the inner bark. You need to make it 'green" again.
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for the cambium: boiling water / steam and a hard brush. i have used metal grill brush cross the grain. cheers
This is what I do. Boiling water and a spoon. I also use a metal kitchen scrubby.
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Some hickories have the same types of "ridges". Using a scraper will work and has worked for me without violating the back as long as I am careful.
I don't worry too much about leaving inner bark behind. It will peal off and I like the look of what does not.
Jawge
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Thank you for the advice so far. I'm not too concerned about leaving some cambium on - if it doesn't hurt anything. Attempt #1 was a Shag Bark Hickory, and I kind of liked the look. I don't have a power washer, but I've heard about the spoon technique a few times. I don't understand how that works. I may start gently w/ my dull draw knife and see how it goes.
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Also, years ago I bought a set of shave hooks and they definitely come in handy for chasing ringside tc. I can't remember if I've used them for bark removal in those woods with edges. Jawge
http://traditionalarchery101.com/osage.html
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I attempted to remove the bark. It was brittle and chipping off. I stopped because I didn't want to chance violating back due to my inexperience. I laid out a design and started reducing sides with a hatchet. I figure I'd better seek some advice before proceeding. I'm not sure I took the bark down far enough. Also the ends twist in opposing directions. I attempted to follow twist of the grain on one (more twisted) limb, straight-lined the other. It's 67" long. I drew out a 4" handle and 1.5" fades. Hoping for some direction from the experts at this point. Thanks, Steve
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Limb grain I tried to follow.
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I use a very sharp machete in one hand while holding the stave upright with the other. I effectively slice and scrape the bark away in a downward cutting and drawing motion while holding the stave. This technique will leave most of the cambium which dries out pretty quickly and is easy to scrape off. Don’t chop, draw the machete toward young the full length of the blade. You don’t peel the bark all the way thru on any cut. You are taking off the high spots essentially and you change the angle of the blade to avoid violating the back as the bark gets thinner. Stop in an area when you get to cambium.
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The 'trick' if you like, is to simply rough out the bow to a limber floortiller. You can then get your width profile close (leave it an 1/8 or so wide). You will find the bark and most of the cambium will 'pop off' when you give it a decent bend. This method leaves an absolutely pristine back on these woods with interesting backs. Once you try this method I guarantee you won't go back haha!
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After scraping the bulk of the bark off carefully I use a spritzer bottle to spray water on it. Let it soak for a few minutes and then scrape it with a plastic scraper or stiff plastic brush. Sometimes I have to put a rag over the back and soak it with water. It sounds counter productive to wet down your nicely dried stave but the water really only soaks into the bark.
I've found that Bownarra's method works great with Yew but I haven't had much luck with it on other local species. Some bark sticks like glue :)
PS I've never even seen HHB so take that into considereation ;D
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Thanks for all the advice. I'm hearing that I need to get more bark off. I'm inclined to go for the floor tiller to let the bark pop off. This means the initial layout I did will come off also, but I'm not 100% satisfied how I tried to follow grain/stave twist on the one limb anyway.
How narrow/thin do I need to reduce before bending on the floor??
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I started attempting to reduce the stave from belly side, hoping I could get enough wood off to "pop" bark off with floor tiller. It revealed some things to me, like this large knot at one end that wasn't evident from the bark side.
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Grown over knots are very common and the evidence of them on the bark side is dependent on how long ago they broke off and grew over. That one will disappear as you reduce and show as a bit of a bowl shaped depression.
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Thanks Pat. That's a relief!
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I've been reducing belly and sides (the knot did disappear). Not sure how/if to correct limbs twist. Remainder of bark (about 1/16") still not "popping" off back, but stave is barely bending at this point.
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Another pic