Hickory Stave Advice

[Dane]

Hi, all. Here is some shots of a hickory stave I've started cleaning up to make a new bow.

The overall length of the stave is about 76" long, average width is 2", and average thickeness is 1.5". The big fat knot is where I am worried. I've never made a character bow, and am not sure it is in me right now, but I'm up for the challenge. The knot is about 16" down from one end of the stave, and the width at that point is about 3.5".

I was thinking about trying one of the Native American designs from the Hamm / Allely book, Encyclopedia of Native American Bows, Volume 1. Something relatively simple, such as the Algonkian on page 25, or the Iroquois on page 61. I would like to keep it fairly long, but with that knot, would you guys recommend shorteining the stave to about 60"? Or risk trying to keep the knot in the bow?

Thanks,

Dane

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[Dane]

BTW, I am not married to the idea of a native design. A flat bow would also be a good challenge, keeping the knot if possible.

Dane

[benjamin]

What is your draw length? for a bendy handle bow, my rule is double the draw plus 4'' for a slightly stiff handle section. Stiff handle is draw plus 20%. I personally love short bows and based on my experience, they give NOTHING up to the speed or comfort of a longer bow if designed right. On the one hand, if that's the size of the knot on the back, chop it and go short. On the other hand, if the knot is raised on the back and you leave the swell of wood around it, You have more than enough length to get away with a good weight at whatever draw.

[Pat B]

With that knot sitting in the center of the limb you should have no problem with it. Leave some wood on either side of it and don't violate the rings on the back. It might be a bit stiff there when you are done but that shouldn't hurt anything either.
   If you want to remove it 60" would work fine with a bendy handle NA style bow. I have made a few 60" hickory Cherokee style bows that shoot great.
   If it were me, I'd go long and let that knot teach you something about character wood.     Pat

[Kegan]

I've made hickory bows with worse than that. So long as it's tillered and tapered properly, it can have a whole through the limb and still turn out well.

[Bowbound]

In my opinion you could leave the knot in the bow just try to make it as central as possible and leave it nick and wide around the knot.

[Dane]

You guys, thanks for all the great advice. I have more than enough hickory to try a NA bow or two, and I will go with the knot, see what I can coax out of her. It will teach me a great deal, and this is my first time using hickory at all, stave or board form.

Dane

[Pat B]

Hickory is tough wood. Except for its susceptibility to moisture it is one of my favorites. Be careful around the knot on the back to not violate the grain. It will be stiffer there so a little violation shouldn't hurt but try not to. A little cambium could stay around the knot and not hurt anything.
   Every beginning bowyer should challenge himself (herself) with a character stave. Make it an extra curricular activity and not part of your regular bow making. When you get the urge, go work on this stave.The more "defects" in the stave, the more you will learn.  A few years ago I was given 3 osage staves that should have been firewood. I spent all winter working of these staves and by spring I had 5 shootable bows with lots of character. The lessons I learned from those "defective" staves can only be learned by doing!     Pat

[Dane]

It kind of looks like a face, doesn't it, like you'd see in the haunted forest, lol.

Thanks, Pat. It should prove a fun and really challenging project. It is an external knot, the back is perfect, and so, I take it with hickory, you just leave the back alone? I'm thinking when I tiller it, I should make the outer limbs fairly non bending.

For the record, Jamie gave me this stave. Thanks, Jamie!

Dane

[Pat B]

Have you taken the cambium off of the back? You should get most of it off. If it were summer cut it will peel off...if not    its a bit more difficult.   If you have to scrape it off, when you get near the sapwood go very slow. The first ring under the cambium will probably have a sinuous texture so you won't be dealing with a smooth surface.       Pat

[Dane]

I have about 1/3 of the cambium removed. It was not really difficult to debark the stave; I used a fairly dull drawknife, and then a cabinate scraper. I expect to have all the sapwood exposed soon, and can then lay out the bow.

Hickory really works so well with drawnknife and spokeshave. I'm pleased to work with it, and can see why so many people like the wood.

Dane

[Pat B]

Keep us posted Dane. The nice thing about hickory cut during the growing season is that the bark and cambium peel off together in one big sheet. The bark and cambium are not difficult to remove but when you get close to the sapwood you have to go gingerly. Don't worry about a little cambium here and there but a full cover can break when dry and stressed, and the break can run into the wood.     Pat

[stickbender]

     Go for it!  Or......you could make two cross bows......Yeah, it looks like the mask in the movie "Scream".  Or one of Disney's ghosts.  Be a good bow to take with you to the Soap stone quarry......in case that big booger comes on out of the woods......might be a good bow wood fer whoopin up on a Windigo!
If you have other wood, do like they said just take your time with it.  Do some now, and some later.  Keep us posted.

                                                                                 Wayne

[Dane]

I will keep you guys posted, even if it is a disaster. Mistakes are a big part of becoming a proficient bowyer.

Thanks for all the advice, Pat! It is greatly appreciated.

I had to postpone the next trip to the soapstone quarry for weekend after next, as we are taking Davenport canoing this coming weekend, at a lake in Vermont that, believe it or not, Jaque Custoue (spelling?) learned to swim in. Even if the bow isnt ready to battle the Bennington Triangle monster, maybe I can poke it in the eye with the stave

Dane

[stickbender]

     You could use it to cast a spell on it, and lure the lady out of the lake......

                                                          Wayne