Ring Chasing In Mulberry

[arachnid]

Hi Guys.

So I`m starting my first STAVE bow. I have a mulberry stave
and I started to de-bark it and remove the sapwood.
The question is- When I get to the heartwood, do I just stop?
I don`t want to go too deep and violate the ring.
How can I distinct the early-wood from the late-wood?
The early-wood rings which separates the different annual
rings are very thin, as shown in the picture:



So, what do I do? (I don`t want to mess it up....)

Thanks
Dor

[SLIMBOB]

Several options. Chase a hardwood ring or leave some sapwood for the back. If you chase a ring, you will just need to be careful once you get to the early wood just above your intended back. Use a card scraper if need be to clean up the early wood. Don't fret it though. The mulberry I have worked has had thick rings and was easy to clean up if dinged a little bit.

[arachnid]

Thats basiclly what I thought.
What do I do if the scraper chatters the back a little? Does it mean the ring is violated or do I just sand it smooth?

[SLIMBOB]

I work most of my staves with a drawknife till the back is established. That will leave tool marks and chatter marks that I clean up with some lite sanding. As long as you don't cut through your back exposing the ring beneath it, it is not violated. Use some caution and keep the ring as clean as you can, but a little touch up is usually needed and won't hurt anything. That changes as the rings get thinner, as there is less margin for error, but thick rings, no biggie.