White Hickory

[Dan Perry]

Steve,

I haven't used it before.  Let me know what you think.  I have used shag bark, shell bark, and pecan.  Pig nut has never shown up at the lumber yard here.  I have heard pig nut is more elastic in compresson, but have never had a chance to try it.  If your white hickory has that dense waxy luster where you have cut it, it can't be too bad.

I have done OK with shellbark and shagbark for flight bows.

Dan

[DCM]

I should probably clear up any misunderstanding I might have left with my first post regarding pignut's reputation for flight bows, since Dan Perry was the flight bowyer/archer I had in mind, and he has posted that's he's not tried it.  Sorry Dan, to have misrepresented your work, even if not specfically.  Way back in the whitewood wars days I must have come away with the wrong impression.  I think Murray Gaskins advocated pignut, and sold a few staves in his business.   At the time he was somewhat vocal about your success using hickory as it related to the broader topic (of the whitewood wars) so I falsely assumed and connected you with pignut.

[Badger]

Dan, he has had the trees sunk in his pond for the last 3 years and is cleaning out his pond. I will have him send my a few boards and forward a couple to you, They have to be dried first so it might be a few months. he says the pond has no effect on the wood except for external staining, I hope he is right. Steve

[jeff]

steve,

i would just call murray
http://www.murraygaskins.com/abw.html

phone 229-249-8145

those sunken trees sound interesting if nothing else. i would not be concerned at all after drying. i try to use hickory exclusively. i am in mid ga so RH can be a problem, but i use a heat box 95 deg at 30% RH. seems to work out OK.

good luck

jeff

[Badger]

Roque, murray hasnt been too relaible the last few years. Not even sure he is till taking orders. Steve

[TRACY]

For what its worth, Bitternut hickory(carya cordiformis) has very little heartwood that has color. It is the easiest hickory to ID because it has sulfur colored buds(yellow) that are unmistakeable at anytime of the year. It is also more abundant than any of the other species found in the midwest states. I've used this wood for selfbows with great results. In my area it is easy to find, grows fast and straight. The only disadvantage I've found is that it's blinding white almost all the the way to the core and needs stained or skins to get rid of the glare. It is a very noteworthy bow wood in my book.

[Dan Perry]

DMC,

No problem.  I am sure Pig nut works great.  Murray swears by it I believe.  And yes, it was a while before attitudes began to change about bow woods.  To day, Pretty is as Pretty does.  People are making wonderful bows out of dozens of woods.  Steve for example.
By now I am sure he has built more bows than I have, and no doubt out of many more woods.  This ultra white hickory sounds beautiful to me.  I would leave it just as it is.  Maybe back an Ipe bow with it.  The contrast would be something to see.

Dan

[jacobian]

Could somebody tell me more about heat treating hickory.         Thanks,  Ed