I've shopped the big box stores for good pick ax handles and any other handles made from hickory. I have not found a good one yet. They all seem to have been shape without regard to grain orientation. They also want over $20 each, I think it would be cheaper to buy a stave from another bowyer.
I have a few crepe myrtle branches about 2-3 inches in diameter that I have split to splice together. The first two attempts were no good, they had too much twist. The next one looks more promising. These crepe myrtle boughs were cut down and piled up over two years ago. I recently stuck one in a bucket of water and it sprouted again. Now I have a new crepe myrtle tree growing in my yard.
I found one good axe handle at Harbor Freight. A local hardware joint also had a 2" X 4ft hickory dowel with good grain.
hey like I said I have plenty of hickory and I dont mind giving u some just pay for the shipping and if u tell me about how long and wide I can plane it down and ripp to a rough dimension....OR u can buy a whole stave which at least 2 bows can be made from!!!
If I can help please let me know!!!
CHEERS!!!
Thanks so much for the offer and I will keep it in mind...I do want to make a hickory bow eventually. I don't think I'm actually going to try to split and splice a stave. I just had the dowel (purchased for a completely different task) and started wondering.
