Author Topic: tips for choosing bow stave  (Read 16078 times)

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Offline yazoo

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tips for choosing bow stave
« on: March 15, 2010, 08:46:37 pm »
first and foremost is the quality of the wood, by this I mean the earlywood/latewood ratio,,this can be good on thin or thick rings. look for a very thin earlywood and very dark and dence latewood,,make sure the stave has been split not sawned,or kerfed beware of sawn staves the longitutal grain may be violated, if the grain has been followed the stave need not be straight,,dont hurt your eyes trying to find a perfectly straight stave with backset, make sure the wood is good then straighten and reflex it,,
  the next thing to look for is that the belly side point of the stave has been removed, flattened with drawknife or bandsaw,this will show all flaws on the belly side of stave, with the stave still in the pie shape the point can hide many knots , holes etc... the bark should also be removed and sealed with glue, the bark can hide many flaws, knots, cracks etc.. now to this point we have a stave with great earlywood latewood ratio bark removed and split not sawed..
 the stave also needs fome info on it the date cut or split should be marked on every stave... the price also needs to be on it,, I am a firm beleaver in this,,the only reason not to put a price on something is to maybe over charge someone,,if staves are not priced ask the dealer why? 

also ask about if the dealer stands behind there wood. If you get into the stave and find a problem that makes the stave unuseable will they replace it,, make sure the seller is helpful ask if they will help you with the bow,,ask if you can call or email them for help,, they should be willing to help you ensure that the stave becomes a bow,,
  beware of people selling out of there trunk, most shoots dont allow  selling without paying for a booth, the honest dealers will have a booth and be tax paying citizens,,If anyone can think of anything else please add,,,,several guys have asked for some help this is all i can think of right now,,,,, thank...mike mcguire
if you can shoot over them , they ain't to far

Offline sailordad

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Re: tips for choosing bow stave
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2010, 09:07:29 pm »
Mike,that is great advise right there
especialy for those that are new to staves and heartwoods
i always wanted a harley,untill it became the "thing to ride"
i ride because i love to,not to be part of the crowd

Offline Dave 55

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Re: tips for choosing bow stave
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2010, 09:32:00 pm »
Very good advice for anyone starting their first stave bow.
Now is the good old days

iskummulak

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Re: tips for choosing bow stave
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2010, 10:09:43 pm »
Thank you for sharing that advice Mike.  Greg

Offline rileyconcrete

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Re: tips for choosing bow stave
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2010, 12:49:59 am »
Thanks for the info Mike.  You always speak words of wisdom.  I really like that. And you have really good osage too. ;D

Tell
Tell Riley

Offline hillbilly61

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Re: tips for choosing bow stave
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2010, 08:28:10 am »
  Mike, I have to ask about this. At Brierfield Ironworks ( ASTB Spring Shoot) I sold some staves out of the back of my truck. Never heard anything about paying for a booth. Does this make me a dishonest tax paying citizen. I told everone that they can get ahold of me here or email me. I don't know allot about staves. Other than they need to be straight as possable, with as few blemishes as possable. This I did. As for the date of cutting on the stave? I let everyone know that I had just cut them. Also. Some believe in debarking and some don't. Does this mean I need to do a few of both to satisfy everyone? I even found out that a few of them would only make walking stick or kids bows. Some staves NEVER become bows for one reason or the other. It never would or will be my intent to be a dishonest person. If anyone that bought a stave from me,and feels they have been taken, please let me know. I will be  more than glade to give your money back. If it sounds like I have taken offence at this, I have.... Mark Syck..... Here is my phone # too  334-312-2263
I will say of the Lord,"He is my refuge and my fortress;
  My God, in Him I will trust."  Psalm 91:2

Offline yazoo

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Re: tips for choosing bow stave
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2010, 08:56:31 am »
If you notice I said some shoots dont allow selling unless you have a paid booth,,,at some shoots it is allowed even encouraged,,some shoots have trade blankets,,the guys I mentioned are the ones that go to the big shoots where you must be a dealer, and dont pay vendor fee and sneak around and sell from there truck not just wood but everything,,, I am sure you would not bring bad wood to a shoot on intentionaly,,but you said you dont know a lot about staves,,just because a stave is straight and knot free, may not be good,,,your earlywood/latewood ratio is the most important thing,,if the wood is good everything else can be overcome,,I like to remove bark,,you can do everything you can to make sure there are know defects , but the bark can hide a lot,,as far as people haveing with staves,,if you sell green wood its going to be 1 or 2 years before they find out the wood may not be good,,not trying to offend anyone,,,just trying to inform beginners so that they can can get a good piece of wood to help there chances to make a bow,,just make sure you get all the information you can on what makes a good piece of bow wood before you pass on the staves to future bow makers,,seasoned bowyers know what to look for in a stave,,,,beginners are the ones I am trying to help,,if there first experince with a stave is a bad one,, then we may loose a future bowmaker,,,,,mike mcguire
if you can shoot over them , they ain't to far

Offline Timo

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Re: tips for choosing bow stave
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2010, 09:19:31 am »
Hilbilly 61, I don't think Mike was trying to offend anyone, Just stating what it is that he does. I kinda think it is his living so he has to abide by a few things to eat.

removing bark and sapwood and sealing a stave will only help one to sell the stave, It basically sells itself,and if there are questions then they can be answered by show and tell much easier than if the bark is left on. Most people can't look at a stave with the bark left on and read the wood.(they are much easier to haul around also)

Dating staves is something I think most of use do for our own memory,If one cuts alot of wood each year, and stacks it up ;it can get very hard to remember when it was cut from year to year.

As for selling out of the trunk, I rekon that is up to the organizers of the event and if it is allowed,ain't no different than out of the pickup or if they are laying on the ground.

Straight clear staves are always up there on a vendors / buyers list, but don't overlook the crooked nasty ones. there are alot of people who search out these staves for the challenge.

I don't sell alot of staves,but I do sell some and I try to make it as easy as I can for the buyers, to see what they are buying.

I'm sure you are an upstanding guy and not a crook, but all this advice will only help you in the long haul. ;)


Offline HoBow

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Re: tips for choosing bow stave
« Reply #8 on: March 16, 2010, 10:17:44 am »
Mike- your knowledge is greatly appreciated.  I bought a few staves last year from you guys at the Classic and they turned into some great bows.  Everyone on here loves pics- show a picture of a good and bad early/late wood ratio....
Jeff Utley- Atlanta GA

Offline yazoo

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Re: tips for choosing bow stave
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2010, 09:48:51 pm »
just got in from cutting staves today,,I will post some photos of earlywood/late wood ratios
if you can shoot over them , they ain't to far

Offline hillbilly61

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Re: tips for choosing bow stave
« Reply #10 on: March 16, 2010, 09:54:53 pm »
 Sorry if I came back harsh, and being a jerk. I was just trying to do a good thing. I reckon I'm just lucky the ones that did buy them knew what they were looking for. A couple gentlemen even showed me what to look for if I wanted to sell them again. I reckon the shoot  this past weekend and this post showing up was just a coincidence. Hope I didn't offend you either. I take pride in what I learn from y'all and hope to be able to learn allot more.
I will say of the Lord,"He is my refuge and my fortress;
  My God, in Him I will trust."  Psalm 91:2

Offline jeff halfrack

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Re: tips for choosing bow stave
« Reply #11 on: March 16, 2010, 11:03:18 pm »
  GEEZ!!  I  wish  I  could  find   poor  ossage!!!  that  stuff is  so  hard to  find  here in  the  fingerlakes region of  NEW YORK  state  and  when  I  could  get  to  a  big shoot  I  am  a  little  worried  about  buying . just  a  question, if  I  may  ask,  what  is  an ossage  stave  worth??    I've made  self  bows  before  never ossage I've  used,  black locust , ash , hickory  I am  almost  willing to  look  for  an  ossage  stave  that  is  some what  floor  tillered  to  lower  the  chance of  failures  I  do  realize  there  are  risks.   JW

Offline coyote1956

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Re: tips for choosing bow stave
« Reply #12 on: March 16, 2010, 11:49:34 pm »
I for one and my son for two , appreciate anything we can learn from Mikes wisdom and hard earned knowledge.
 Mike is a standup guy,  spent near two days around him recently at the TBOF shoot in Florida.  His helping us newbies making our very first bows was very appreciated, and all we could learn from him was too.  Our hats are off to you Mike and Your Dad Ken. 
  Please keep posting and helpin us guys out Mike. Thank You, Ken & Dan  in the N. Florida Swamps       
“A peculiar virtue in wildlife ethics is that the hunter ordinarily has no gallery to applaud or disapprove of his conduct. The ethics of sportsmanship is not a fixed code, but must be formulated by the individual, with no referee but the Almighty.” Aldo Leupold

Old Town, FL.

Offline yazoo

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Re: tips for choosing bow stave
« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2010, 12:05:30 am »
this is the load we got out today was a long hard day,,lots of really nice small dia osage,,
if you can shoot over them , they ain't to far

Offline sailordad

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Re: tips for choosing bow stave
« Reply #14 on: March 17, 2010, 02:12:34 am »
thats small diameter
looks big enought to give a person a hernia to me lol
i always wanted a harley,untill it became the "thing to ride"
i ride because i love to,not to be part of the crowd