Oceanspray..rare?

[Bryce]

I've been flipping through some sight with bowyers from the PNW saying that finding arrow shafts from oceanspray is no big deal (no argument there) but its difficult to find bow worthy sized stalks....

Idk if they don't know what oceanspray is or what. But I just walked maybe 10yards off my porch and collected 5 perfect! Staves without looking hard I found a dozen shafts to go with.

Am I just lucky? Or what?
If you live in the PNW oceanspray is growing right next to the chokecherrys, vine maples, osoberrys, and even the firs. There everywhere. Just walk a creek and you'll find it I promise.

Happy hunting.

-B

 

[randman]

I agree Bryce. Once I knew what it was and could identify it on sight, I see it everywhere. The trick is to season the big enough stuff without checking and splitting. Arrow shaft sizes are no problem.

[UserNameTaken]

I'd just let them go on thinking that this stuff is hard to find. 

[Bryce]

I agree Bryce. Once I knew what it was and could identify it on sight, I see it everywhere. The trick is to season the big enough stuff without checking and splitting. Arrow shaft sizes are no problem.

Collected some last year getting ready to make my.second bow from it. It's awesome stuff. Acts like low quality yew but won't explode in your face.

I'd just let them go on thinking that this stuff is hard to find. 

I just might do that ha!

[Elktracker]

I think it all depends on where your at I have had good luck fining it where I live but not every where. I would say its not as easy to find as vine maple or cascara but it is out there. I havent found or seen any out in your neck of the woods but I guess I wasnt looking hard enough

Josh

[Bryce]

I think it all depends on where your at I have had good luck fining it where I live but not every where. I would say its not as easy to find as vine maple or cascara but it is out there. I havent found or seen any out in your neck of the woods but I guess I wasnt looking hard enough

Josh

i couldnt find it in the winter bc it looks and grows next to a similar shrub, but the leaves started to sprout this weekend an i found a ton! counting today, within a 2 sq.acre area i got i think around 12 staves and 10,000 shatftings lol.

i have seen everywhere. goble is full of the stuff. though i havent seen too much cascara....from what i hear its a terrible plant

[Elktracker]

Wow I need to do some looking or there in Goble 

Post up some pictures of that wood!

Josh

[UserNameTaken]

It's easiest to locate when it's in bloom. It really stands out when those flowers pop. Just write down the address and go back to cut it later in the year.

[Elktracker]

I have been told if you want to keep the back from coming off to cut it in the coolest part of winter the last stuff I cut was dead of winter so I will see. Other staves I cut were during the heat of summer and I had bark pop off in spots, if you are not removing the bark not sure it matters much.

Josh

[Bryce]

User. Yes they have that wonderful white star blossom. But there is a lot of white blossoms this time of year. But what catches my eye is the little mini oak-like leaves.

But your saying, find them then tie like a ribbon around it then return in the winter to harvest?
I could see that working.

[Carson (CMB)]

I find it easier to spot in the winter.  Once you get an eye for what those nice white flower clusters look like when they are dead and brown.  While the dead winter flower clusters are certainly not as easy to see as the fresh white spring flowers, there is no foliage to contend with in the winter.  As for the leaves, ninebark leaves look very similar, and this plant also has nice arrow shaft shoots. Was wondering if anybody has used ninebark for bow wood?  Both woods have those obvious radial nutrient paths showing when fresh cut...looks like a fresh cut carrot

Not to hi-jack, but Pojar and Mckinnon say natives used ocean spray for damn near anything a hard wood was needed for, including nails!  Also says they heat-treated it to increase its hardness.  Anybody experimented with heat on oceanspray? 

[Bryce]

Oceanspray was a favored self bow of the PNW natives along with other woods besides yew (white oak, cascara, vine maple, Apple and the list goes on forever). I've used oceanspray to build kayaks with. Mostly just for peg joints.
Was also hardened with heat and used for arrow points.
Oceanspray LOVES to be heat tempered.  Infact one of my arrows was a tad under weight for the bow be used so I heated and when it cooled it was waaaaaaaay to stiff.

Josh, didn't you do a oceanspray build-along? If I recall you heat tempered that girl and it had excellent results.

[Bryce]

Alright smallest is 45'' long bc I like short bows. and the longest is 89" smallest in Dai. Is 3/4 and the largest is 2 1/2"  most where longer but I cut them 60-66".
And on the right is about 3 dozen oceanspray shafts with 6 osoberry shafts.
 


There was a LOT I didn't cut some where 5" in diameter but I flagged them and will go back in winter.

[Elktracker]

Nice haul !!

Yes heat treating works wonders on this wood but can't get it to recurve without pulling apart.

Josh

[Bryce]

Come over anytime "Bryce's Oceanspray&Vine Maple U-Cut" Haha!

Nice haul !!

Yes heat treating works wonders on this wood but can't get it to recurve without pulling apart.

Josh

CHALLENGE EXCEPTED!