chasing mulberry

[upstatenybowyer]

Important pre-note... If you're not in the mood for reading, you might get the wrong idea from the picture...

So I figured out something strange about mulberry last time I chased it. I'm currently doing it again so I thought I'd share this discovery. Some of you may already know this, but for those who don't, it could potentially save you some headache the first time you try chasing mulberry...

Bare in mind this pertains only to if you are chasing the first ring of heartwood.

Mulberry, unlike osage, appears to have a very thin membrane-like layer just below the early wood, right on top of the late wood.

It can throw you because if your used to chasing osage, you are very familiar with that "crunching" sound the drawknife makes as you go through the early wood and directly below is that glassy late wood we all know and love.

With mulberry, you hear that "crunching" sound and then there's still a VERY thin layer of white. So you start to question whether that really was the early wood you thought you were going through.

The pic below shows all three layers I'm attempting to describe. You'll notice the dark late heartwood where I've carefully scraped the thin membrane-like layer away. You can also see where the early wood is that still needs to be removed...

Weird huh? 

[simson]

Looking at the marks on your stave I have to say you use the wrong or dull tools.
If you are in doubt about a ring, change the angle of the light (I like to do ring chasing at night with artificial light). Another trick is to wetten the surface with a brush, the crunchy early wood soaks the water and darkens - a lot easier to see

[upstatenybowyer]

Thanks for the insight simson. I actually am not in doubt at all about chasing the ring.

It's a lengthy and wordy post so maybe you didn't read it all.

The thin membrane-like layer that's different from osage let's me know I'm close to the latewood so I'm way less likely to violate it. It looks like a messy job because I purposefully left most of that layer on there for you guys to see it.

When it's done, I'll have scraped all of that layer away and it will be smooth and clean.

[JonW]

Same thing chasing a ring on sassafrass.

[upstatenybowyer]

Cool Jon. I wonder what that layer's function is.

[Badger]

  I didn't realize it was a thin membrane but I did notice I was a bit confused one time when chasing a mulberry ring. It has been a while so I don't remember the details but it very well could be as you describe. I kept fighting for the right light so I could distinguish the ring because I wasn't getting the right feel.

[kbear]

Great timing upstate..... got a mulberry stave on the way. Cheers for your insight!

[Pappy]

Interesting, I have chased a few Mulberry and really didn't notice that, mine were from a large tree and very well seasoned so that may have been the difference.
 Pappy

[Bob W.]

Thanks for the insight Jeff, I roughed out 2 mulberry staves  for warbows that i am going to leave sapwood on but will probably thin it a couple layers. I  wonder if the sapwoood is the same?

[leonwood]

on my mulberry staves i did not notice this, chased a few staves to the first hardwood layer and found it the easiest wood to chase a ring on. Mind my staves where seasoned really good and had really thick rings

[upstatenybowyer]

This could be purely a "greenwood" phenomenon. The stave I'm working on is fresh cut. Perhaps when the stave is seasoned that thin membrane becomes darker and you don't even know that it's there. Hmmmmmm.....