Dark streak in hackberry stave

[BarredOwl]

I am working on a hackberry stave that was cut a little over a year ago and has been in the shed since then.  The log was quartered and bark peeled within a few hours of being cut so I don't think any kind of rot is likely but there is a darker streak along one side of the stave.  Most of the wood is snow white in comparison.  Any idea if this is a sign of trouble?  The darker wood doesn't seem to be any different in hardness, etc than the whiter part of the stave.  I will try to post photos when I get a chance.

[BarredOwl]

[osage outlaw]

Most of the hackberry I have cut had dark streaks in it towards the belly side of the staves.

[BarredOwl]

The darker wood happens to run from back to belly along the one side of the stave.   I didn't notice it when I split it out.  It might have been there I just didn't notice it.

[DavidV]

I can't see anything in the pictures. Could it just be a mineral streak? Hackberry sometimes has odd colors running through it.

[BarredOwl]

I can't see anything in the pictures. Could it just be a mineral streak? Hackberry sometimes has odd colors running through it.

It may be an optical illusion and appear to be be a shadow or the edge of limb in the photos.    It's not real dark but very noticibly not near as white as the rest of the stave. 

[wapiti1997]

could be a mineral streak, or somewhere a piece of metal was imbedded down the trunk below it.. BB, shot from a shotgun, etc... 

[crooketarrow]

  I've built a couple bows that had streaks.

  It's this white woods had small knots, Knots don't even have to be seen  some times.  But I 've seen the streaks comeing from small knots in white woods.

  I'll bet you stored (seaoned) your stave standing up. Doing this the green wood haveing a known even hidden knot. The streaks show up. I guess it's mimerals in the knot standing up the mineralls just follow the grain down.  I just know some white woods get this streak it stood up.

 Not all, I seaoned a whole lot of white wood staves standing when I started. And had a streak now and when.

Now I rachet strap down and deflex to all green staves. So I hav'nt seen this in a long time. So I just asumed that was the problem.

 Good thing is I can't see where it affects the bows performs.

 

[BarredOwl]

 

  I'll bet you stored (seaoned) your stave standing up. Doing this the green wood haveing a known even hidden knot. The streaks show up. I guess it's mimerals in the knot standing up the mineralls just follow the grain down.  I just know some white woods get this streak it stood up.

Very interesting.  I did have it leaning against the wall standing up and there was a knot on one sue of the stave.  I'll bet that explains it though.  I'm glad I asked, I had no idea that could happen.

[bowandarrow473]

I just cut some hackberry this morning (it is literally sitting next to me now).  And looking at it, the early wood pores are unnoticeable except for a dis colored streak. Could this be what it is? Early wood discoloration?

[BarredOwl]

No I think the photos are deceiving everyone that darker streak is not the edge of the limb it's actually the flat part of the limb but it appears to be the edge  so I think that's what's throwing everyone but dark darker areas in my photos is actually what is the dark streak.  I'll take some different photos and post them.  The darker wood is not super dark like Walnut it's just a grayish color to it that runs along the side of the stave and compared to the rest of the stave it's dark but it's not black like walnut or anything like that dark.

[rps3]

I've only made 2hackberry. Both had dark streaks like you describe.  I just ignored them.