I've used "cants" before to resaw my quartersawn bows quite a bit. But there is no reason you cannot re-saw then to have flat grain and chase a ring (stave) either way that white oak is gonna make killer bows. As far as I know you will only need to check for powder-post beetles as far as bugs go. Any mold issues should be self evident.
As far as tough goes, the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) would withstand a 12# and close range, and the hull planks were eastern white oak.
rich
