Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: carpentertimw on March 08, 2012, 11:18:04 am

Title: removing hop hornbeam bark
Post by: carpentertimw on March 08, 2012, 11:18:04 am

does anybody have a good way to remove bark from dried hop hornbeam? somebody gave me some dried hop hornbeam and the bark is very resistant to coming off.

Title: Re: removing hop hornbeam bark
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on March 08, 2012, 11:18:27 am

Drawknife

Title: Re: removing hop hornbeam bark
Post by: Pappy on March 08, 2012, 11:23:11 am

You can usually get it started on one end and peel it off,be careful because it has lots of ripples in the back,not to cut into the wood that will be the back. :) If you try and just draw knife the back you can very easily violate the growth rings.  :)
   Pappy

Title: Re: removing hop hornbeam bark
Post by: Pat B on March 08, 2012, 11:32:40 am

The HHB stave I made my trade bow from had been cut 5 or 6 years before and the bark was still on. I don't know what time of year it was cut but I used a drawknife to remove the bark. Just take it slow and easy.

Title: Re: removing hop hornbeam bark
Post by: PatM on March 08, 2012, 12:14:18 pm

He likely means getting all the bark off, not just the outer layer. No man can drawknife a
HHB stave and get all the bark off with a drawknife.
 The best way to get it clean is take most of the inner bark off and then soak the last bit of inner bark and use a spoon tip to push it off and get all the grooves clean.
 Some people have luck with the bark popping off as they start bending the bow but that depends on a lot of factors if you think it might ALL pop off.

Title: Re: removing hop hornbeam bark
Post by: Pat B on March 08, 2012, 02:42:18 pm

If the wood was harvested during ther growing season the bark should peel right off. If cut during the dormant season you will have to work to get it off.

Title: Re: removing hop hornbeam bark
Post by: osage outlaw on March 08, 2012, 03:27:12 pm

It's been a while, but I think I started with the drawknife and then used a scraper.  I used the point of a scissor scraper to get in the grooves.  I remember I had to wear safety glasses when I used the scraper because it would flip up tiny slivers of the bark into my face.

Title: Re: removing hop hornbeam bark
Post by: druid on March 08, 2012, 04:16:24 pm

In my country, when you cut hornbeam its bark could be removed by fingers. After that (especially when it dries out) it is almost impossible to debark it fully.  :(

Title: Re: removing hop hornbeam bark
Post by: Ifrit617 on March 08, 2012, 04:32:42 pm

I have use a drawknife on mine just go real slow...

Jon

Title: Re: removing hop hornbeam bark
Post by: DRon knife on March 08, 2012, 05:25:27 pm

I posted a method,but removed it.

Put it in a hot shower for a while(5-15 min),wrap it totally in painters plastic and put it in a hot room,car or furnace room for the day,unwrap a few inches and peel and scrape with a sharp knife. Ron