Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: BowJunkie on June 17, 2011, 12:03:41 am

Title: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: BowJunkie on June 17, 2011, 12:03:41 am
I have a Hickory stave that was roughed out and the bark removed to the cambium layer.
The stave is cured and ready to be worked.
Does the cambium layer need to be removed completely, or can I just sand it down smooth.
I do not plan to back this bow, it is knot free. I was actually thinking of staining it slightly darker.
Any suggestions on the cambium layer and stain finish would be appreciated.
Thanks, Johnny in Texas
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: BowJunkie on June 17, 2011, 12:09:10 am
Here is a picture of the stave
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on June 17, 2011, 12:35:09 am
You can keep it just like that, its a nice natural camo.
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: blackhawk on June 17, 2011, 12:51:15 am
Looks good to me. Just make sure you thoroughly sand it smooth and burnish it before you finish it up and seal it.
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: soy on June 17, 2011, 03:03:10 am
Agreed, leave it on I like to use leather dye if u want to darken it
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: crooketarrow on June 17, 2011, 03:54:21 am
  I sometimes use the cambium for the camo effect .I like to stain the bow lighter than the cambium. This really darken's up the cambium and it has a really good contrast against the light bow showing through and a dark handle. This also has a good contrast also. Makes a sharp bow.
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: Pappy on June 17, 2011, 08:23:12 am
You have to be careful when you sand it ,not to sand flat or you may violate
the back,  Most time Hickory has dips and dives in the back so you can't just sand flat.I use a little scrapper or pocket knife and scrape it off it I want it gone,I sometimes leave them just like you have got it . :)
      Pappy
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on June 17, 2011, 10:56:15 am
That looks just like the 3 Rivers blank they sell.
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: BowJunkie on June 17, 2011, 11:06:22 am
Thats where I got the Idea for the profile, I was looking in the 3 rivers archery mag, and decided on that profile.
I make most of my bows based on that profile, from red oak, pecan and hackberry. I just cant see spending 100 plus cash for a stave.
Pappy I did like you said, I did lightly scrape it with a flat knife, and then started sanding, the stave does have a few dips and dives.
I have never worked Hickory before, That is why I wanted the input.
Soy do you have any suggestions, on the type of leather die you use?
One thing I have not done with my past Bows, is Burnishing. I will try the burnish technique on this bow.
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: Pappy on June 17, 2011, 12:49:48 pm
If you are going to stain or die ,do that before you burnish, or the stain won't take very good. :)
    Pappy
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: BowJunkie on June 17, 2011, 02:24:02 pm
So if I am going to burnish the back. I should stain it prior to burnishing.
With that said should stain, then  burnish the back prior to tillering / bending the wood?
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: blackhawk on June 17, 2011, 02:43:24 pm
Make wood bend

Shoot it in


Dye it


Burnish it


Put finish coats on


And PRESTO......

(http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x436/blackhawk28/00small52434839.jpg)
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: BowJunkie on June 17, 2011, 02:57:13 pm
BlackHawk ,,,, now that is a sweet looking bow, Do you have other pics of this bow?
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: blackhawk on June 17, 2011, 03:38:02 pm
Yup...there's some right here


http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php?topic=25879.0


Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: soy on June 17, 2011, 10:24:40 pm
I forget the brand name of the dye ill be getting home 4:30am ill let u know ;)
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: Weylin on June 18, 2011, 12:05:29 am
I use Fiebing's leather dye. Works great. I just dyed my hickory flat bow with it. I dyed the back black and then I sanded the dye off the ridges. Then I dyed the bare ridges brown so they would stand out and provide some camo effect. I'm pleased with the results.
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: BowJunkie on June 18, 2011, 12:54:24 am
Weylin Do you by chance have any pic you could upload?
Thanks for the info
Johnny
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: Weylin on June 18, 2011, 01:14:20 am
Sorry man, I just put a coat of Tru-oil on it about 20 minutes ago :( I'm planning to take some pictures of it soon though. Maybe I'll snap a quick pic of the back tomorrow once I buff out the shine on the finish and I'll post it on this thread.
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: soy on June 18, 2011, 02:08:05 am
Here are some pics. Of iron wood using a similar method to the one weylin uses, and the same dye(fiebing's)
hope it helps. 8)
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: Weylin on June 18, 2011, 11:51:08 pm
Here's how mine turned out. sorry for the crappy pictures but hopefully you can get the idea.
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/034-1.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/032.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/033-1.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/030.jpg)
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e113/olivewn/031.jpg)
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: BowJunkie on June 19, 2011, 12:20:48 am
Nice work, Pictures turned out nice actually.
String her up and lets see some draw pics
Johnny
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: Weylin on June 19, 2011, 12:53:23 am
Yeah, I'm planning on unveiling her with due ceremony soon. it's my first bow I ever made and I finally got it finished. I'm really happy with how it turned out. I want to put several more coats of Tru-oil on it still and I found out the hard way on my yew bow that the tru oil takes a while to cure all the way. when i strung and shot my yew bow the finish where the string laid over the back of the tips got all messed up. And that was a good week and a half after the last coat of tru-oil. So I'm gonna take my time and give the finish on this one the time it needs to cure.
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: soy on June 19, 2011, 01:06:04 am
Wow weylin that looks good...there u go bowjunkie that is a good template to follow have fun and good luck, can't wait to see the pics.from both of you :-X
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: Weylin on June 19, 2011, 01:58:28 am
Thanks for the compliments, guys.  :)
Title: Re: Hickory Stave ?
Post by: dbb on June 19, 2011, 10:58:14 am
Gorgeous finish!

/Mikael