de-bark hawthorn?

[stuckinthemud]

Hi All,

Last spring I harvested the bottom half of a hawthorn tree but the top half tangled up in the next tree over.  Now the hawthorn has wriggled down near enough to the ground for me to retrieve. Should I take off the bark before I bring it into my wood-store in case of borers - they are not much of a problem in the UK and hawthorn is classed as a resistant timber (I think)- the wood has had six months to season while its been hanging so will there be issues if I take off the bark? The timber is 4 inch diameter.

Thanks

[Pat B]

If it has been in the weather since spring it may be no good for bows.

[bowandarrow473]

It might have rot and mold but if it's a rot resistant wood, then maybe debark it and see what the situation is, then decide based on what the wood looks like. I am always skeptical of wood that has been down for more than a week or so.

[Hamish]

Most hawthorn  is pretty small dia(though I have seen larger stuff), and the bark sets pretty hard, if left to dry in stick. My Dad used to make walking sticks from the stuff, and left it with bark on.
I'm not sure if it stays on or cracks off if you made a bow out of it.

[riverrat]

im interested in this. we have a lot of hawthorn. ive always thought of using it but never have. why couldnt you scrape the bark off like any other tree? besides, how are you going to know if there is bug issues if you dont? give it a whirl and post what you find.i know im interested. Tony

[stuckinthemud]

Thanks for your thoughts, I think my question was kinda in two parts - not just would the hawthorn be damaged already but also would I be more likely to be bringing unwelcome house-guests into my wood-store any more than all the other staves I bring in, all of which still have their bark on but which were cut and stored on the same day, bearing in mind the timber is air-dried and not in contact with the ground in any way.

[autologus]

I cut some parsley hawthorn once and took the bark off right away and it checked like crazy and the splits went spiral around the stave.  It is some really dense wood and looks like it could be good bow wood but I would be afraid of something that has been in the weather for that long.

Grady

[stuckinthemud]

It is rated as a first class bow wood and is extremely dense - my axe just bounced off when I tried to split some once, and that is why I don't really want to de-bark it unless I have to. maybe I should just treat the bark with a good insecticide.