Removing bark from winter osage

[bentstick54]

Regardless of time of year, I have always left the bark on my Osage staves, treated the bark with an insecticide, sealed the ends and stored that way until ready to use. By the time I cut the tree, drug it home, split it into staves, I am always wore out. I have recently been given a fresh stave, so I went ahead and removed the bark and sapwood and it came off so much easier being freshly cut.
I just got permission to cut some 8” - 12” Osage that is as straight as you will find, with a lot of clean 6’ sections. My question is if I cut it in winter after all leaves have fallen, will the bark and sapwood still remove easier than leaving it on while the staves are drying and then removing?

[bradsmith2010]

I think so,, because it is still green and moist,, when dry,, it gets harder

[osage outlaw]

Yes, it will be easier to remove even when cut during the winter.   The sapwood will still have moisture in it.   

[bentstick54]

Thanks guys. This place is close enough that I can make multiple trips down to harvest wood, and looks to have a lot of manageable size that I can handle by myself. It will be easier to bring home what I can cut, split, and remove bark and sapwood before storing. I knew Clint would know. Thanks for your opinion to Brad.

[osage outlaw]

I've noticed live osage will drip sap even during the winter months.   I think it slows down but doesn't completely stop.  Fresh sapwood sure is easier to remove than when it dries out.  Please post some pictures of what you cut.   Good luck. 

[Pat B]

Also, before you cut this new tree study the bark well to be sure that it isn't growing twisted. Even if the trunk is straight the bark may spiral around the trunk and the wood inside is doing the same. It would be a shame to go to all the work only to find badly twisted staves.

[bentstick54]

I will be glad to post photos, but the reason I was asking is this property started out as a close in place to do some deer hunting. Small 40 acre parcel. When I went to meet landowner, as I was pulling up to the drive looking out the window I thought the heck with deer, look at all that Osage. When I told her I would be hunting with Osage selfbows she perked up and got very interested. Said she had been reading and had seen some shows on how people were making them. She said they were trying to thin them out anyway and walked down and started asking what I needed to make bows out of. I showed her a bunch the size that was easiest for me to handle, how to read the bark, how to watch for flaws, branches and such, and how long of sections would be my preference. Even showed her how to look at the growth rings, late wood vs early wood ratio. She promised to educate her husband to watch any that they cut, and save back any that might meet my criteria instead of cutting them into firewood.
Then she proceeded to ask me if there was a limit to how many deer a person could kill on private property. I hope I can take a few of them so I don’t lose my Osage cutting privileges. I’ve never been faced with this kind of a problem before.

[PaSteve]

Sounds like you hit the jackpot benstick54. Good luck on the staves and the deer hunting.

[Selfbowman]

I like drying with bark on. Less risk of cracks. Just a gut feeling but I also have a band saw!

[Pat B]

Unlike whitewoods like maple, hickory, hackberry and others where you use the sapwood under the bark for a bow with osage you generally always remove the sapwood to get to a usable heartwood ring for your bow's back. So, whenever you have access to osage or locust or mulberry is the right time to cut it for bow wood. Like said before removing bark and sapwood while it is green is way easier than when it has dried.

[bentstick54]

Well deer season ended and finally got a day that got up to the lower 60s so I made a trip down to cut some Osage on the property I received permission. I ended up cutting 3 trees out of a cluster of 5 that grew up tight to each other. They were approximately 10” to 12” diameter, and I could get 6’-6” length trunks out of each. 1 was standing dead, but had to be downed together others to fall. I had to split them where they fell because I had to carry them out on my shoulder about 50 yards to the truck. It definitely wore a senior citizen out, but I got it done, got them home and ends sealed. Some of them should be able to be split again with any luck. After a few days to recuperate I hope to start removing bark and sapwood and get the backs sealed.

[bjrogg]

Nice haul and you’re making this senior citizen sore just thinking about it.

Definitely seal the backs really good so they don’t check. They will check overnight if you don’t.

If you can reduce the belly side as soon as possible too. Really helps to reduce drying checks and drying time. I think it makes a better bow if l leave them like I described for a couple years than in whole staves but that might just be in my head.

It sure is nice later when you pick it up again to work it.

Bjrogg

[Pat B]

Those look like some nice straight staves with little if any twist. 

[George Tsoukalas]

Looks lie quite a crop of staves, bentstick. Have fun! Jawge

[GlisGlis]

Great score
maybe the landowner could be interested in having a bow made out of his yellow wood
that could make an impression and definetly secure your cutting and hunting privileges