# Making bow staves



## Al33 (Jul 16, 2012)

Doug Bell and I went to Villa Rica Saturday and cut Hickory trees to make bow staves. Pictured below is only some of the logs we brought back. Sunday evening we started splitting some of them and man was it hot. We decided it was just too hot to finish them yesterday so we will have more to split when it turns cooler.

I now have a bunch of staves I have to debark plus several cull logs I will turn into smoking wood. Not likely I will make bows out of all the staves but hopefully I will make a few more.


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## NCHillbilly (Jul 16, 2012)

Good lookin' pile of wood!  Speaking from learning the hard way, get that bark off of 'em yesterday unless you want a whole lot of smoking wood that looks like Swiss cheese.


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## Ta-ton-ka chips (Jul 16, 2012)

Al, you haven't debarked those logs yet?

Posted from Cobb Co Superior Court


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## whossbows (Jul 16, 2012)

aint that hot?


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## Al33 (Jul 16, 2012)

Welllllll, not sure why but the bark isn't peeling off like I thought it would or did before. Cut and debarked several a couple of years ago and the bark just peeled right off from one end to the other. We cut the trees Saturday so I know the timing was right. I also know there are at least four types of hickory, pignut, mockernut, shellbark, and shagbark. I think most of what we got is shellbark and it may not peel like mockernut or pignut. I used a draw knife and got about 10 done but still have more to go.


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## RPM (Jul 19, 2012)

Al, If you need a hand I'll grab a draw knife, a few Corona's, perhaps a couple subs and run up there.


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## coaster500 (Jul 21, 2012)

Those are some great lookin Hickory logs!!!

My shoulders hurt just lookin at them


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## Al33 (Jul 21, 2012)

RPM said:


> Al, If you need a hand I'll grab a draw knife, a few Corona's, perhaps a couple subs and run up there.



You know you are welcome to come up anytime. Come on up and I'll put a hatchet in your hand and you can make a bow from one of these staves just like HatchetBowDan does.


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## RPM (Jul 21, 2012)

Sounds good Al.  I'll give you a call later.


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## RPM (Jul 22, 2012)

Al, The wife and I had a  great time this afternoon!

Thanks to you and Doug for all the help you gave me to get me started!


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