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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: kodiakkid on April 22, 2009, 09:13:00 PM

Title: Oak stave
Post by: kodiakkid on April 22, 2009, 09:13:00 PM

Well I drive a log truck as my profession. Most the time the loggers I haul for cut pine. Occasionally  some hardwood gets cut if we're on a clearcut. Well I asked for this piece of oak today and was fortunate enough to get it. I have read on here that oak makes a good bow. It was 20' long. I cut it into three 6' pieces and split it up. The butt end had started to rot so I am only gonna be able to get 40" staves out of that piece. Guess I'll make kids bows out of em. Can anyone identify the type of oak and am I correct about the fact it will make decent bow wood. Pics below. Also pictured is a drawknife that belonged to my grandaddy. He used it in the 20's & 30's for making fence post. Thought it would be pretty neat to use it on a bow build. Paul<><
   (http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu205/pmills1956/stave1.jpg)
   (http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu205/pmills1956/stave2.jpg)
   (http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu205/pmills1956/stave3.jpg)
   (http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu205/pmills1956/stave4.jpg)
   (http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu205/pmills1956/stave5.jpg)
Roxie looks on
   (http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu205/pmills1956/stave6.jpg)
Grandaddies drawknife
   (http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu205/pmills1956/stave7.jpg)

Title: Re: Oak stave
Post by: tim roberts on April 22, 2009, 10:24:00 PM

If the stuff is good for bows you are sure in some good times there!  :biglaugh:

Title: Re: Oak stave
Post by: Pat B on April 22, 2009, 11:06:00 PM

Paul, Looks like a lot of good bow wood to me. I believe it is one of the red oaks. Possibly Southern Red Oak. Those old draw knives have good steel in the blades and work very well. Not too much difference between making fence posts and bows. d;^)   Your partner is cute too!

Title: Re: Oak stave
Post by: Dean Marlow on April 23, 2009, 07:10:00 AM

The logs look like either Red Oak or Black Oak. Both will make good bows. If you leave the bark on them don't forget to spray them to keep the bugs from eating them up. Dean

Title: Re: Oak stave
Post by: George Tsoukalas on April 23, 2009, 08:33:00 AM

I was going to say red oak too but that's got a lot of heartwood for a whitewood. But I'm not from the South. Jawge

Title: Re: Oak stave
Post by: kodiakkid on April 23, 2009, 01:27:00 PM

I think red oak is probably correct. I can tell a white oak from other oaks but when it comes to live, water, and red oaks I can't tell them apart. Does white oak make good bow wood?

Title: Re: Oak stave
Post by: razorback on April 23, 2009, 05:21:00 PM

Sure hope it makes good bow wood otherwise you have split a whole lot of fire wood the hard way.
  :biglaugh:

Title: Re: Oak stave
Post by: Don Batten on April 23, 2009, 09:35:00 PM

Way to go Paul. All that wood splitting will keep ya outa trouble. LOL DB

Title: Re: Oak stave
Post by: Broke another one on April 26, 2009, 09:46:00 PM

Looks like red oak, the red tented heartwood is a give away. Good luck on making alot of great bows.

Title: Re: Oak stave
Post by: mwmwmb on April 26, 2009, 10:15:00 PM

red oak group. for sure. which species, hard to say. but they have similar properties.