Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: koan on October 29, 2007, 07:53:46 pm

Title: Hop Hornbeam???'s
Post by: koan on October 29, 2007, 07:53:46 pm
My boy and I just cut a Hop hornbeam the hard way toying with the idea of hatchet bows for Mojam. Thinkin it was a white wood( hard to chase a growth ring with a hatchet) I was surprized to find out that there was bout an 1/8" of sapwood under the bark. My question is this, do I just remove the bark like hickory or chase a ring like osage for the back? Maybe its just new growth but its definately very different color than the rest of the log...very light in color ???. Never worked it before so these are probably silly questions to those of you who have but I need a little help here.....Thanks....Brian
Title: Re: Hop Hornbeam???'s
Post by: George Tsoukalas on October 29, 2007, 09:15:42 pm
It's a whitewood, brian. Yake off the bark and make a bow. Treat it like hickory pretty much as far as width and length go . It should have more sapwood. What is its diameter? jawge
Title: Re: Hop Hornbeam???'s
Post by: Pappy on October 30, 2007, 05:33:37 am
I treat it just like Hickory,never noticed the sap wood being AL that thin.Are you sure it is
HHB ? :) I don't usually chase a ring ,just clean up the inner bark after I get the main bark
off.Of course I cut mine in the summer so the bark slips right off like Hickory. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Hop Hornbeam???'s
Post by: Marc St Louis on October 30, 2007, 07:39:23 am
Sometimes HHB will have dark sapwood and sometimes light. It usually has more sapwood than that but I have seen quite a few variations over the years. Regardless you don't want to try chasing a ring.
Title: Re: Hop Hornbeam???'s
Post by: koan on October 30, 2007, 07:05:23 pm
jawge, its bout 5 1/2" across...Pappy, it looks just like the stave I got from you at the Classic...leaves look similar to elm...Brian