Hello from Muskoka, Canada: Total Newb

[PatM]

That would be fine for a few months in the winter but bugs will gobble up  HHB left outside once the weather breaks.

[DC]

Never thought of bugs. We don't have bugs, except for a few mosquitoes.

[slowbowjoe]

Welcome,
I'm still messing up my first staves myself, here in northern Vermont. Cut a HHB first, got maybe 4 staves out of it... they're all a little twisted, with a few knots, but a lot cleaner than yours - which looks mighty challenging. I also cut about 6 staves worth of northern white ash;  found some knots and made some mistakes that will be challenging, but still working on a couple of those. No heated shop, so pretty much laying off for another month or so.
Not that I have much at all in the way of experience, but at my stage I agree with the suggestions to look for the very cleanest stave material you have access to. It's hard enough with those!

[willie]

That looks to be challenging for a first stave.  If you want to try it anyway, I would do as hoosierf suggests.  Splitting them when they are that small can be tricky.  But putting that one aside and looking for a really clean sapling is probably a better bet.

get one with a clean back and go for a bit bigger diameter 5"- 6" maybe. if you look in a thick stand of saplings, you stand a better chance of finding one where there are fewer knots on the back, as branches die off sooner in shadier locations and the pin knots will have grown over.

get a couple of staves drying and you can decide later which one to start on first. most folks have learned from trial and error, so there is no harm in getting some practice in before starting on your best stave

there are ways to reduce your stave to near bow dimensions to shorten drying times and you can even pratice tillering with a board while you wait on your stave to dry.

[HighEagle]

Welcome Muskoka,

Im also from Canada Armstrong BC  I use alot of Hawthorn the twist is what gives me the most difficulty (runoff) leave your knots a little proud. I rough out my sapling staves like yours I dont split many I use mostly a hatchet starting with belly then to the profile. Next draw-knife and a farriers rasp  with sapling bows I get alot done with the rasp using both sides. The Hawthorn here if its anything like HHB I dont know but it take corrections good except maybe a sideways bend mid limb or tips  but can be done with maybe a few applications. Man I would give your stave a go its so straight, Ask questions, go slow I have a hard time doing watch out for knots in your profile. And good luck

chcuk

[5up3rm4n]

Thanks everyone...I think I feel like a coin in mid toss...lol...should I or shouldn't I?...I have the itch and one half of my brain says "its good practice, maybe it will turn out reasonably" then the other half says"ya, but your practicing on something that wont bear fruit... why waste your time?" I think I will try and clean it off, so I can see what I actually have under the bark. Nothing to aggressive though. I wont nick the wood. Then I will decide. I still need to go grab a few more lengths, none-the-less, for future projects so maybe this will whet my appetite further. I saw a few maple saplings near the HHB saplings. Its almost all sugar maples...how do they rate for material?

[Weylin]

Sugar maple makes a good bow. One of the best of the maples given it's hardness and density. I haven't used it personally but I've heard good things. HHB is high quality bow wood though, without a doubt. Good luck and have fun.

[5up3rm4n]

Great to hear! No shortage of staves for me then. Also, where can i read about bow string making in the forum?

[Weylin]

Not sure if there's a step by step here on the site. Here's a video I made on making a flemish loop string. We're not supposed to put active links on here so just close the spaces I made in the address  ht tps: //www .youtube.com/watch?v=9EwkEwP8CSQ&t=4s

[5up3rm4n]

good video. so i striped the staff down and sure as you all said, way to knotty for use as a blank...its now a wonderful walking stick. im going out tomorrow to harvest a few new staves

[The Zen Master]

Good vid!

[GlisGlis]

Thanks everyone...I think I feel like a coin in mid toss...lol...should I or shouldn't I?...I have the itch and one half of my brain says "its good practice, maybe it will turn out reasonably" then the other half says"ya, but your practicing on something that wont bear fruit... why waste your time?"

if you're short on walking stick well ...do a walking stick
I'd follow the voices whispering in your head. try your hand at that wood
try to tiller at your best. do all the errors that everyone made and start learning
if you'll end with firewood you'll have at least gained some experience
you'll have to wait for the other good staves to season aniway

[aznboi3644]

I say go for you.  These branches I had to cut off didn’t stop me from trying lol.  This one came out about 40lb @ 23”.  I have drawn it out to 25.  I did have about 3” of natural deflex.  No speed demon but it shoots an arrow and I learned some things from it.

[jeffp51]

best advice I ever got as a noob is that it is just a stick.  If it breaks, it was just a stick.  don't worry about wasted time and don't fall in love until it shoots.  Enjoy the process.

[5up3rm4n]

well then, looks like i am going to try my hand at a bow.