Question on early wood. Black locust

[ThreeSons]

Hey people. This is my first post. I have been really getting a lot out of searching for my questions on older posts but this time I thought I would put this one out myself.
I am working on my first BL stave and I am one growth ring away from my desired layer. As I shave away the late wood and get into the early wood I found these beautiful markings.
Sorry no photos i am having touble compressing the pic on my phone. They are black veins showing. Very cool looking. So before I took it away or worse left it and should not have I will ask you all; 1. Is this common in locust? And 2. Does one have to remove early wood? Why or why not?
Thanks in advance to all who respond.
Peter

[Pat B]

Around here there is a fungi that attacks the early wood making the rings delaminate. I don't know if it is what you are talking about or not.
 You don't have to remove the early ring and some leave it on while they are building the bow to protect the back late wood ring then remove before finishing it. It's pretty brittle so I wouldn't want it on the back permanently.

[simk]

ThreeSons: Send the pics to yourself with the phone and they will be downsized automatically ...cheers

[George Tsoukalas]

I've never  seen that. I've seen a sapwood ring about to to turn to heartwood but I've never seen black veins.
You are eventually going to a heartwood ring?
Jawge

[ThreeSons]

Pat and George, you both may he right. I do t really know what I am looking at. The log i split the staves from was dead bit still in great co diyion especially the heart. Yes I am going for 100 heart wood George. Simk, thanks for the tip
So why can we not leave the crunchy stuff?

[ThreeSons]

Okay I'll say what everyone here seems to say, the photo doesn't do the beauty justice.
Peter

[Pat B]

Will you post a pic of the end grain? To me, it looks like you still have sapwood on the back.

[ThreeSons]

Pat when you say sap wood do you mean early wood or what's just below the bark? Here is the end grain. I would say I have removed 6 or 8 growth rings from the bark. The black veiny stuff will become the crunchy early wood so I am almost through the late wood and just getting into the next early wood set. Hope that helps.

[ThreeSons]

Here is a close up.

[Pat B]

The sapwood is the whiter wood right under the bark, usually 2 to 4 growth rings worth then the heartwood.The early wood is the thin, corky layer between the growth rings.
 I think I'd do a bend test to be sure the woods is sound. It looks like it is degrading to me. That end cut should be almost polished looking and it looks crumbly to me. Take a split off the bottom of the stave. It is waste wood anyway. Build a little test bow by getting to a clean ring on the back and a tapering the belly to the tips. Then see if it will take a good bend without breaking.

[ThreeSons]

Great idea thanks pat. I'll do that. Do you mind if I ask what area you are that this fu guys attacks the early wood. Yeah sap wood duh. Brain fart...baby brain. Hehe

[George Tsoukalas]

I should take notes of past bow woods and staves and such. A long time ago, I encountered some BL wood with black stuff on it. I assumed it was a fungus and grabbed another stave. But BL grows in my yard.

The black fungus I saw was was localized but I can't remember for sure.

Getting wood to bend is already daunting. I'd get another stave. Sorry.

Jawge

[Morgan]

If that’s degraded, that’s terrible luck. I always thought that BL sapwood would rot but heartwood wouldn’t.

[Pat B]

Generally it is rot resistant. I've made bows from old locust fence posts I pulled from the ground that the barbwire and staples had rusted away. The wood was still good. But the locust that grows on my property and the surrounding properties have some sort of malady that causes the early wood to deteriorate.
I live in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina south west of Asheville. We get lots of rain here so that could have something to do with it.

[ThreeSons]

Very interesting. Thanks to all that helped out. George, sorry too stubborn to take that advice. I'll have to keep going, and if I break it well...I appreciate all the input. I'll keep going and let you know how it all works out.