Author Topic: Wax currant?  (Read 2771 times)

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Offline Mesophilic

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Wax currant?
« on: April 27, 2018, 12:19:55 am »
Anyone use wax currant for shafts?  I've found it growing all over the place and they look pretty straight with good diameters.   I've read online that it is a suitable shaft material but not really seeing anyone using or reviewing...and suitable and desirable  are quite different as I'm finding out with primative archery.

Thanks again guys.
Trying is the first step to failure
-Homer Simpson-

Offline Hawkdancer

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Re: Wax currant?
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2018, 12:25:52 pm »
Looking forward to your test reports >:D (SH)!  If you cut now and peel, they should be dry in a month or so, as dry as it is out this way.
Hawkdancer
Life is far too serious to be taken that way!
Jerry

Offline Mesophilic

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Re: Wax currant?
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2018, 03:40:24 pm »
They'll be dry in less than a week here in my lovely freeze dryer enviornment  >:D. Now avoiding cracks is the challenge.

Ok, I'll take the plunge and let you guys know how they perform.
Trying is the first step to failure
-Homer Simpson-

Offline Hawkdancer

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Re: Wax currant?
« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2018, 07:41:20 pm »
Leave about 3" bark on each end if you peel them.  Bark usually is easier to peel when it's fresh cut.
Hawkdancer
Life is far too serious to be taken that way!
Jerry

Offline Mesophilic

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Re: Wax currant?
« Reply #4 on: April 28, 2018, 01:00:17 am »
Thanks, I'll give it a shot. 
Trying is the first step to failure
-Homer Simpson-

Offline trail walker

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Re: Wax currant?
« Reply #5 on: May 01, 2018, 10:15:58 am »
The Paiute in southern Utah would use current, for quick drying they would scrape off just the outer layer of bark to prevent cracking leave them for a week-ish( more or less depending on dryness and need for arrows) and then scrape them the rest of the way. I have had success with red osier dogwood and wild rose. it adds to scraping time but sure speeds up drying and I have had 0 cracked shafts from doing it. If You try it on some of them you should let us know how it works.

Offline Mesophilic

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Re: Wax currant?
« Reply #6 on: May 01, 2018, 02:39:09 pm »
So, I would essentially leave the green cambium layer until dry?
Trying is the first step to failure
-Homer Simpson-

Offline archeryrob

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Re: Wax currant?
« Reply #7 on: May 02, 2018, 10:21:59 am »
You scrape the bark and cambium off. I have done that with Multiflora rose and it works great. I have tried it with Viburnum and Russian olive and lots more shafts to splits than was acceptable. Every wood is different and you need to experiment.
"If you can't have fun doing it, it ain't worth doing, or you're just doing it wrong."

Offline trail walker

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Re: Wax currant?
« Reply #8 on: May 04, 2018, 11:11:07 am »
Yes, I leave the green cambium layer on untell they dry. But like Archeryrob said every wood is different and it might react differently. but everything I have tried it on so far it has worked. you could see if wax currant is ok with it too.