# Makin' Hickory Staves



## Al33 (Jun 26, 2010)

This was a first for John and I but while at the club this morning we decided to go ahead with the idea to cut a tree for staves despite leaving the chainsaw at home, and because it is time that time of year to do it. We found this one tree that was straight enough to get two logs out of and commenced to bring it down with our pruning saws. It didn't take long and we loaded them up in my MDX for the ride back to Scarietta where we began the splitting process. It turned out to be a lot easier than either he or I thought it would and we are pleased with the results.

Thanks go out to dpoole and HatchetBowDan for their advice and encouragement, not to mention many on here who have shared their experiences of doing so. It was fun and we look forward to trying our hands at making a few stick bows. I told Dan I was going to try making a hatchet bow the way he does. I may not succeed but I think it is just too cool that he does it with a hatchet.

Anyhoo, a few pic's of our efforts for your enjoyment:


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## Al33 (Jun 26, 2010)

An ironic and funny thing happened as we were getting the logs out of the woods. I got a text picture from Donnie Poole showing a dozen or so staves he and Dan had just finished. He had no idea we were doing the same when he sent the text.

Hey Donnie, why not post up a pic of all your and Dan's staves too?


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## longbowdave1 (Jun 26, 2010)

have fun building them al, fun is what it's all about.


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## olchevy (Jun 26, 2010)

ha seems like everyone of us on here are trying the hickory bows right now...Hopefully a few of us can get some good ones out of it....Keep up the fun!


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## chadf (Jun 26, 2010)

cold BL always helps get a job done, properly!!!!

show pics of whole process plz.


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## C.J. Pearson (Jun 26, 2010)

Watch it Al. You know someone will pick them up for firewood that you sell.


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## TNGIRL (Jun 26, 2010)

Cool Al!!!!!! Glad you checked that off your list!!!!!


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## FERAL ONE (Jun 26, 2010)

i'd love to try that but i would be lost as a duck in a desert without pro help  !!!


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## Keebs (Jun 27, 2010)

Ok Al, I wanna see more progress pic's!!


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## Al33 (Jun 27, 2010)

chadf said:


> show pics of whole process plz.





Keebs said:


> Ok Al, I wanna see more progress pic's!!



It will be awhile, about the end of August, before the staves are dry enough to work but once I get started I will remember to take a few pic's along the way.



FERAL ONE said:


> i'd love to try that but i would be lost as a duck in a desert without pro help  !!!


Just follow the advice of many on here and other similar sites as well as watch You-Tube video's on the subject and you will have a good idea of how to do it. The best teacher is experience and you can only get that from trying. I may not succeed with my first one or two efforts but at least I will have learned  a lot about what NOT to do.

Now is the time to get started if you want to make a Hickory bow because this is the best time to cut and split the tree. It really wasn't that hard to do.



TNGIRL said:


> Cool Al!!!!!! Glad you checked that off your list!!!!!


I hope to return to the YOF and compete in more than one class like Jeff was talking about.


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## hogdgz (Jun 27, 2010)

Looks like yall got it going on, great job AL and John!!!


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## NCHillbilly (Jun 27, 2010)

Looks good, Al. Those small hickory trees can make a good bow, and are fun to work with. Me and a buddy made one in three days completly with stone tools once just to see if we could.


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## olchevy (Jun 27, 2010)

NCHillbilly said:


> Looks good, Al. Those small hickory trees can make a good bow, and are fun to work with. Me and a buddy made one in three days completly with stone tools once just to see if we could.


Where you the one that wrote the article in the magazine or was it your buddy....At least i believe it was one of you two...lol


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## Tailfeather (Jun 28, 2010)

Lookin good, Al!!

I tell you, I have a whole new respect for Hatchet Dan.....I spent several hours this weekend using a hatchet to work down a big ol hickory stave.  It's alot of dang work....

Can't wait to see those turn into bows for ya'll.


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## NCHillbilly (Jun 28, 2010)

olchevy said:


> Where you the one that wrote the article in the magazine or was it your buddy....At least i believe it was one of you two...lol



Yeah, I wrote an article for _Wilderness Way_ mag about it.


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## dpoole (Jun 28, 2010)

Al33 said:


> An ironic and funny thing happened as we were getting the logs out of the woods. I got a text picture from Donnie Poole showing a dozen or so staves he and Dan had just finished. He had no idea we were doing the same when he sent the text.
> 
> Hey Donnie, why not post up a pic of all your and Dan's staves too?



 I would but dont have a camera. I sent you a phone picture send it to your email and use it.


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## stick-n-string (Jun 29, 2010)

That musta been some big tree pruners to be able to cut them trees down!

Hey Al, look forward to seeing you and everyone else this weekend!
Also for the self bow build along!


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## Lowjack (Jun 29, 2010)

Al33 said:


> It will be awhile, about the end of August, before the staves are dry enough to work but once I get started I will remember to take a few pic's along the way.
> 
> 
> Just follow the advice of many on here and other similar sites as well as watch You-Tube video's on the subject and you will have a good idea of how to do it. The best teacher is experience and you can only get that from trying. I may not succeed with my first one or two efforts but at least I will have learned  a lot about what NOT to do.
> ...



I don't work on any stave until they are at least 2 years.
But everyone does it different.


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## Al33 (Jun 29, 2010)

dpoole said:


> I would but dont have a camera. I sent you a phone picture send it to your email and use it.


In the famous words of Forrest Gump; "I'm not a vewy smot man." My phone doesn't give me the option of sending it via email, but that's OK 'cause I don't think folks wanna look at Harrel anyway. Just funnin' Harrel!



stick-n-string said:


> That musta been some big tree pruners to be able to cut them trees down!
> 
> Hey Al, look forward to seeing you and everyone else this weekend!
> Also for the self bow build along!


Just folding pack saws with blades about 8 inches long is all. Did it pretty quickly too.
Who's doing the self bow build along? I am surely not one to do one.


Lowjack said:


> I don't work on any stave until they are at least 2 years.
> But everyone does it different.


I will probably do it different than it has ever been done before. I'm just going by what I have been told by others. Some say 6 to 8 weeks if dried properly and others say longer. Even so, at my age I can't afford to wait too long.


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## Jake Allen (Jun 29, 2010)

Those are some pretty staves Al. 
You guys did good!


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