fire killed oak bow

[sleek]

So about 3 years ago a big fire ripped through my hunting spot. After a few months I harvested a dead standing oak tree. It was fire killed. I was excited because I had read about fire killed trees being of choice to the Native Americans back in the day.

I debarked it and saw the wood had a smoke color to the wood under the bark. I forgot about it until last konth. I got it to the point of being braced. At brace the back opened up with width wise cracks in multiple locations. I guess the heat made the wood to brittle. I dont think I will be trying that again.

[Marc St Louis]

I tried heat-treating a Red Oak bow many years ago when I first started with my experiments, it died in a mighty explosion.  Never tried another

[M-P]

My attempts at heat treating red oak have failed as well.   In this case the delay in harvesting may have allowed some decay to start?
Ron

[sleek]

I hope the wait didnt cause decay to start, it was stored inside, with my other bows. If decay sets in like that, how long can a bow last?

[bradsmith2010]

Dont worry,, decay is not contagious 

[Marc St Louis]

Seems to me I have heard, and read, that Red Oak is somewhat rot resistant.

[PatM]

Was it actually Red Oak?
  The old saying about Indians favoring fire killed trees with Ash often mentioned makes me think more of Prairie fires rather than an actual forest fire.
 A fire quick enough to kill the tree without actually burning the wood itself excessively.

[sleek]

I should have mentioned,  its white oak. And it was a hot fire.

[RBLusthaus]

white oak is a favored wood in boat building due to its superior rot resistance.  Red oak is not nearly as resistant as white and as such, it not used much in wood boat construction for that reason.   I assume it is the open grain which allows the movement of water which makes the red not so good - rot resistance wise, at least. 

Russ   

[rossfactor]

I've heat treated the snot out of some red oak bows (years ago) and they held up fine...  I might be able to dig one up.  I don't think the draw weights were very high though like 40+ lbs.

Gabe

[George Tsoukalas]

sleek, it is the the few months prior to harvesting the tree that concern me.
As you know whitewoods left  out in the weather don't do well.
Just please use a rope and pulley to tiller.
Jawge

[Knoll]

Am building ro bow as Xmas gift & planned to heat-treat it.  Plan just changed.   

[sleek]

Dont take it as you cant heat treat. My problem I believe is the back was subjected to more heat than the belly because of the fire. Perhaps I should have built it inside out?