HHB - what else do I need to know?

[tanner]

Hey guys - not too long ago I was posting about my intentions to take a shagbark hickory this spring off my place and get some bows out of it. While I still intend to do that, I had a gentleman from the state forestry service out here today to do a forest walkthrough/assessment. It turns out that the back half of my place is absolutely covered in HHB. I know I've seen a lot of guys on here rave about it so I've been scanning HHB threads over the last 30min or so to try and get a good plan. Here's what I got:

1. Cut a couple this weekend (spring) and get them split, bark off (with cambium) and ends/backs sealed.

2. Don't chase a ring (sounds like some guys do, but it's easier to just get cambium off early and use that as back).

3. Any sane bow design will work (and some less-sane). Since I'm a no0b, I'll probably just be looking for a stiff handle pyramid with gently flipped tips at first.

4. Heat treat the belly after brace?

I saw some guys mention that it takes heat bending well. Any reason I should use steam over dry heat on HHB? Also - what finishes do you all use? Is HHB any more or less sensitive to humidity in general than others? Anything else I'm missing?

[Marc St Louis]

I don't know anyone that would be insane enough to try and chase a ring on HHB.

HHB heat-treats extremely well

If your plans are to do shallow radius bending then dry heat will do but if you want to bend recurves then use steam.  DO NOT use dry heat on wet wood

[Bogaman]

I had to barter for the ironwood I've used since Missouri is HHB poor. I really like it. Of the white woods it is probably my favorite. As close to osage orange as you'll find in the white woods. Take the bark off and scrap the cambrium and that's your back. I sure wouldn't chase a ring on it. At times the back can be a little rolly-polly. I've used a spoon or curved scraper if that's the case. Like Marc said, it heat treats very good. When tillered and cared for properly it will make a fast bow.

[tanner]

Ok - so it wasn't quite as obvious as I thought it'd be as to where the cambium layer was. I thought I got it off /w the bark, but now I'm not so sure. Here's a pic of the log split after a couple coats of shellac:



When I was stripping the bark there was a couple of times where I cut through a softer outer layer to what looked like a normal white wood. It was thicker than I thought cambium should be so I didn't strip that layer off. I didn't know if I was actually just cutting through rings. I've also only done worked with black walnut as a white wood and the cambium layer was pretty thin. Anyway, can you experts tell if what I'm seeing as the dried brown back is the cambium?

[PatM]

Everything that's not a yellowish tinged white is cambium. As soon as  you see actual white instead of yellow, you have violated a ring, if only slightly.
 Try getting a spoon and pushing some of that cambium back until you see the actual wood. Clear a space and work your way out from there. You will quickly get a feel for the wood. If you are using any sort of sharp edge or actual scraping, you are damaging the back. HHB takes this fairly well but there is no reason to test those waters.

[Pappy]

Sounds like they have you covered with good advice, all I can add is it is  the best white wood I have used,make a great bow.
  Pappy

[Bogaman]

Tanner, In your pictures the staves look brown on the outside. I'd say you still have part of the cambium layer on them. As you look at the ends, what do you see? As I mentioned earlier, I use a spoon or curved scraper. Try not to use anything real sharp as you will leave a nick or divot.

[tanner]

@Pat - I think I see what you mean. There were also a couple of places where I missed the wedge with my sledge hammer and took a chunk of the outer layer off. It was noticeably whiter underneath so i suspect it's just that the cambium was thicker than I initially thought.

@Bogaman - thanks for the input as well. The brown kinda confirmed my suspicions, but figured I should check with the experts before ruining a good stave.

I'll take some time and switch to a spoon to night and see what I can find. I'll also see if I can get a good picture of the end for clarification.

[PatM]

Remember just looking at the cut end will show you exactly what you are looking at in terms of the bark profile.