questions about hickory...

[H Rhodes]

I am up to the final sanding on a hickory bow that I made last week.  It is 62ntn and is 1 7/8" at the fades and tapers to about an inch and a half at seven inches from the tip.  Tapers from there to 1/4 inch at the tips.  Osage overlays.  I recurved the tips and toasted the belly rather lightly.  Came in at 45lbs at 28".  I really like the way this bow shoots.  It is has a pronounced crown since it was cut from a three inch sapling from here on the farm.  Summer cut, dried,  and built in high heat, high humidity....  I have heard lots of discussion on here about how hickory performs in moist climates and how it soaks up moisture and loses cast with the weather.  I would like to hear what you experienced, more knowledgeable folks have to say on this subject.  I am curious about what to expect from this bow with changes in the weather and if there are any steps I can take in the finishing stages to protect it. 

[crooketarrow]

  As I build my hickory bows I but the bow in a hot box 10 -15 mins before I start, when I get to bending the limbs. Hickory dose suck up relative humidly but only in the surface. Not always is humidly high enough to matter but if it gets to high it will matter. And your bow will cause excess set and string follow. A few mins in a hot box eliminates this surface humidly. And not make the bow to dry and brittle.
   I like to do what no one Else dose. When I get to SEALING THE BOW I also put the bow in the hot box for 10 mins. Again gets rid of the surface humidly.You don't want the extra moisture before the bows sealed. Or you forgot a important step. HICKORYS GOOD ON COMPRESSION AND PEOPLE DO'NT RELIZE THIS BUT TOASTING THE BELLY DOSE THE SAME Thing. Just not as good as doing the whole bow.
 If you don't  follow these steps. It's hard to build a hickory bow with out a lot of set or some string follow .
  I seal bows with Polly if I build it for someone. Unless the person willing to fo the rework sealing the bow everyyear. I seal all my personal bows with bees wax and hair dryer. The heated wax and heated wood opens the the pores some what and allows the wax go's deeper in the pours. Where most sealers just cover the (pours) wood. No better water proofing than wax and heat. You should re wax everyyear. THIS ONLY HELPS TO RESEAL IT BETTER EVERYTIME IT'S DONE. Plus it looks as if you have a new bow everytime it's redone. But alot of people don't like to re wax their bow every year. When they buy a bow they just want to pick it up and shoot it when ever.
  If the surface moisture's been remove and it's sealed good right away. I've never seen a difference in speed or cast in high humidly weather. I've built um teen white wood bows this way and have for over 10 years. I wouldn't do it any other way.
   NOT SAYING THIS IS THE ONLY WAY OF BUILDING A HICKORY BOW. BUT IT'S TURNED TO MY WAY.
 I start out with 2 inch's of reflex and Iuselly keep 1 to 1/2 of reflex this way. With out this step you can count on a 1 or 2 deflex.
  My friend crooketarrow how built selfbows for 50 plus years

[H Rhodes]

Thanks crooketarrow.  That all makes sense to me.  I have noticed that several of you guys who have a lot of experience with building wooden bows favor using beeswax and heat.  I may give that a try.

[johnston]

Hickory is my number one wood and I follow a similar path as crooketarrow. Infact
I believe I asked this question once and he gave the same advice and it was spot
on. I use spray poly and buff the shiny with steel wool.

Lane

[H Rhodes]

Thanks Lane.  I know this bow shoots sweet and I want it to last a long time.  I intend to get it warm and seal it good.  Hickory is so tension strong, i find it easier to shoot well, since I trust it not to break, no matter what!  It helps my concentration when I really trust a bow, if you know what I mean.

[crooketarrow]

 HICKORYS my favorite white wood. I use'lly only build HICKORY AND OSAGE. I cut and split dozzens of staves every winter. I got dozzens of 12 to 20 year old OSAGES. so if anyone wants to buy either PM me well talk.