Shagbark Hickory Bow Stave

[fulf1460]

I've just started working on a hickory bow stave, and i've de-barked the stave down to the sap wood. I tried to flatten the sapwood out by shaving a flat surface using my draw knife. Did I ruin the backing of my bow by doing this?

Thanks for the input!

Matthew

[osage outlaw]

You will probably need to chase a ring on it now.

[Morgan]

Yeah, you'll have to chase a ring or smoke meat with it I'm sure. Was you just trying to get the muscle looking lumps and bumps off or were you wanting a dead flat back? I suppose if you wanted a flat back, you could try de-crowning it, but would have to follow every contour of the back just like chasing a ring. If you make bows from staves, I'm fairly certain you won't find a stave with a flawlessly smooth back. All will have bumps, ridges, dips, and doo dahs. That's just part of the beauty to me. Every stave is different.

[Pappy]

Ya on Hickory the sap wood is the back in most cases, you should try not violate it. You might rawhide back it but chasing a ring is the best choice if possible. Sometimes that is tough on Hickory.
 Pappy

[fulf1460]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Morgan, that's exactly what I was trying to do. I've got a few more staves drying that I'll try leaving the sapwood on with but i'll do my best to chase a ring with this one!

All the best,

Matthew

[osage outlaw]

The cool thing about selfbows is that they are all uniquely shaped.  We can use heat or steam to manipulate the shape when needed.  With white woods like hickory you just remove the bark and cambium layer and what's left is the back of your bow.  No need to flatten it out.  Most selfbows will have a crown or slightly rounded back.  Depending on how the tree grew they can also be flat, concave,  or a combination.

[Eric Krewson]

If you cut hickory early in the spring to early summer you can peel the bark off easily and have the back of your bow established. This time of year the bark won't slip off and is attached like it is glued on, very labor intensive to remove.

I cut these staves too late in the year and spent two weeks with a drawknife getting the bark off and establishing a back, never again.