Does some woods hold heat longer? & bow build

[Selfbowman]

I haven’t done many hickory bows at all. But what few I have done hickory does not seam to hold heat as long as Osage on the heat bench. Could it be because Osage is more dense?

[Bob Barnes]

I would think that's the reason.  I have noticed the same things with other less dense woods like juniper.   

[Selfbowman]

Ok Bob how do I heat hickory to get the same results as Osage? My hickory does not hold the caul as good as my Osage . Do I need to steam it ?

[Selfbowman]

Very good Hickory stave with slight propeller. 67” ntn 9” handle, 2”wide at fades 2” 9” toward mid limb . 1-1/2” wide 18” from fade, 1/2 at tips

[Selfbowman]

Well I did something right . Not sure how. Look at first heat straighten .

[Selfbowman]

I know y’all are tired of seeing the same bow design from me but I’m want to compare good Osage with good hickory. Also the design is hard to beat in broadhead flight.  Why fix what’s not broken. 🤠literally

[SLIMBOB]

I have only done 1 Hickory, and it was actually our native Texas Pecan, but I fought the same with it.  I could not get it bend much no matter how much dry heat I applied.  I have had the same issue with Hackberry.

[Bob Barnes]

Well Arvin, it looks like you worked it out on that one.   Yes, hackberry is another one that doesn't hold heat like osage.  Maybe slower but longer heat...or a complete 'heat treat' while on the form would be the key...?  Your design works Arvin...why change it?   

[bassman211]

Arvin sounds like you are running out of good Osage. It is hard to teach a old dog new tricks, but if you want to mimac Osage performance with hickory you may want to learn the fire hardened method from start to finish though the bow you did above looks good if it stays like it looks now. If starts to suck up moisture,and takes some set you will never be able to truly compare the 2 different woods to each other. It is pretty much a given that Osage is the king of self bow wood, but a well tillered fire hardened hickory bow will come close. Respecfully Bob.

[Selfbowman]

Well y’all know me I’ll test it for broadhead flight we will see . I’m also curious to see how the mass works out.  If it comes out 20 oz or under it could win.

[superdav95]

I should do a heat treat build along on here for my next hickory build start to finish focusing on the heat treatment process.  Hickory is hard to beat really when properly heat treated.  Like bob said low and slow heat treatment is best.  The heat gun can work but it’s my last result as it’s more labour intensive as you have to move the heat gun manually even if you have it mounted to a holder to maintain a consistent depth from the belly with heat.   I’ve done rudimentary testing with similar bow builds comparing Osage to hickory.  Not focused on flight as you are doing here Arvin so that should be a unique perspective for sure and one I’m sure to watch with much anticipation.  It’s been my experience that a good knot free piece of Osage and a similar quality hickory stave made into well tillered bows will out two completely different bows even if properly dried and seasoned.  Different in both performance and set.  However if this same piece of hickory is then properly heat treated deeply and slowly with radiant heat I have found that the set is in fact less on the hickory bow.  We all know that Osage is the king of bow woods but I suggest that the heat treated hickory will be lighter in mass and will also retain less moisture despite it being known for being a sponge and soaking up moisture.  The heat treatment permanently changes the cell structure of the bow and makes it less likley to accept moisture.  For those who have tried a fire pit heat treated bow will know what I’m talking about here.  My fastest bow to date is a heat treatment hickory bow.  This has been shot many many times over last year or so and still hasn’t taken any more set.  For a comparison I made two matching bows as best as I could do in design and layout.  Both were 48-50lbs.  Both shot very well and both shot around the 175-180fps at 10gpp.  The hickory bow consistently shot 2-4 fps faster then the Osage bow.  I know guys on here will not like this and may disagree but this is what I found.  The mass of both bows were very interesting actually…. Osage bow was just over 630grams while the hickory was just over 600grams.  I suspect this may have had something to do with the difference is speed found. 

[Selfbowman]

Ok Dave I’ll see if you did  your test right.🤠🤠🤠 Jokeing! You may very well be right about the mass Dave. Right now the hickory weighs 32.4 oz. and a guess of 80-90 pounds@28” . My Osage comes in at 24-28oz. So the mass may differently help the hickory.

[Selfbowman]

If the hickory comes in lighter in mass and less set. We may have a new kid on the block.

[superdav95]

If the hickory comes in lighter in mass and less set. We may have a new kid on the block.

Oh ya we do.  If you heat treat that sucker good you’ll be amazed actually.  The hickory will be heavier now but when put to heat it will lighten up significantly. 

[Bob Barnes]

  great stuff here...thanks guys...I have a nice hickory stave just waiting for the how to...