Serviceberry?

[terence pinder]

I was just reading some back issues of PA and was reading the article about the snaggletooth bear. the author said he was useing a serviceberry bow. we call this  a saskatoon bush. has anyone else had any experiences with this wood? my yard is full of it.

[Pat B]

I have serviceberry growing around here but haven't used any for bows yet. I sent Don Berg a stave and he made a hybrid with half East Coast and half Western serviceberry.   Give serviceberry a try and let us know what you think.       Pat

[Keenan]

  Serviceberry is a great  bow wood. we have some around here and i've been playing with it for some bows as well. I am still working on my first ones and liking it so far and I know John Struck has made several from it that were great bows.

[snedeker]

I've seen a few on here over the years including one or three my Oldbow. Specific Gravity close to hickory. We call it Juneberry in central PA.  There are several species, including one with tasty berries. Also call shadbush down in the Lower valleys and Chesepeake area cause the beries ripended when the shad came upstream to spawn.   Genus Amelanchier in the rose family

Trees I see around here are like cork screws

Dave

[majsnuff]

I cut a 2" diameter Serviceberry stave the last day of July, roughed out a Holmgaard with a hatchet, and left it to dry (bark on) on under my camper for a 10 days, it was drying in a nice Perry type reflex when I checked it, so I reduced it some more with a draw knife and rasp, then tucked it back under the camper. Gonna pull it out today, check the moisture and mebby start with some serious scraper work.
Should have taken some pics, will do so and post as this project develops.
I did notice that this wood plugs a rasp fairly quickly with long fibers which upon initial spliting seemed to be somewhat interlocked.

[DanaM]

I cut a bunch of it, the bigger are always horribly twisted, it will check overnight if not heavily sealed and it really sucks to split.
Haven't made a bow yet but it should be excellent as its hard and dense.

[adb]

Being that I live in Saskatoon, SK., Canada, we have lots of saskatoon bushes growing wild everywhere, including our backyard. They produce, what I think, are the best tasting berries of any sort. They also make decent bows, being that they're in the fruit family. The trick around here is finding a bush big enough. Saskatoons are a bush, not a tree. They usually don't get more than a couple of inches at the bottom, regardless of age. Also, finding a bush with a long & straight enough piece for a decent stave is a challenge. I have not made a bow from saskatoon berry wood, but it is on the to-do list. It does make decent arrows from the shoots, and I  think our local Native Americans used it as arrow wood.

[terence pinder]

thanks guys , there is two variey's of saskatoon bush, the highbush and the low bush. the low bush are twisted and snarly looking, but the high bush grow tall and straight. i have both kinds in my yard, some are over 3-4 meters. so if i cut some seal the ends and leave the bark on i should be in buisness. then should i split them ? if anybodys has any pics that would be awsome.

[OldBow]

The Blackfoot (Piegan) Indians used it and so have I to some success. Not hardly osage but does make a fun bow.  I've got some really straight ones in my backyard but I also have some really good staves of other woods so I may never get back to serviceberry.

[terence pinder]

im gonna cut a few staves this weekend. should i strip the bark off or leave it on.also whats the minimum diameter i should cut? also as previously said is a holmgard style the best for this type of wood?

[terence pinder]

so guys whats my next step? this is my first bow. bark on or off? should i split it?

[DanaM]

I would take the bark off and split or if you have a band saw just rip them in half, then seal the heck out of the backs and ends.
I usually use 2 heavy coats of shellac. Monitor the wood closely as it may decide to check anyway.

Another option is rough in the bow and seal it.

[majsnuff]

Hey Terrence, how is that berry bush bow coming along? Mine is down to 12% moisture content. It is gonna have to wait now until  October for me to do any more on it. September is Elk Archery season here and I am gonna be out all month.
I was surprised and concerned at the little dark streaks in the wood on this bow. When I first noticed them I thought it was de-lam checking. Turns out this coloration is common in Serviceberry.
Well good luck on those staves you have there.
I am off here to load up and head out.

[terence pinder]

i debarked the smallest one roughly shaped out a bow with my hatchet, the grain has a bit of a spiral to it , and while drying it developed some cracks throughout the back . im not sure how deep they go? maybe if i work it down some morei might be able to save it. i dont have any pics handy but what do you guys think? i might move on to another stave. might try a board bow from home depot for practice before i attempt another stave.

[El Destructo]

Split them....spray it with Borax....to make sure the Bugs dont get them....and leave the Bark on them and let them Dry.....may save the Backs from cracking....did mine