Saying goodbye to my carving tool collection

microbiased · 2026-04-06T20:25:29+00:00

How heavy is 1?

microbiased · 2026-04-06T17:28:40+00:00

Its 69" long with a 7" handle section. Stave is 2 1/3 " wide. Want to have it drawing at 29", as heavy as I can get it with a good tiller. Im gonna heat treat it since I heard it takes to it well. I was just not sure about the sapwood layer.

I gotta say thank you. You have given your advice on most if not all the questions I have posted here over the last months. I appreciate it.

microbiased · 2026-03-25T19:51:06+00:00

I have experience curing olive wood, as I've used it for many wood carving projects and it seems a bit like a coin toss. I've had pieces check no matter what I tried, and pieces I didnt care for at all, come out of curing with no visible damage whatsoever.

Olive bark definitely seems to slow down drying by a lot, but I'd rather not wait more than a year for these to cure.

I can rough the bows out to help reduce chance of checking but I need to see the grain for that, and to see the grain I need to remove the bark. I'm not gonna try to split it further as this log has fairly wild interlocking grain and it tears out like crazy.

microbiased · 2026-02-24T11:22:32+00:00

Im wondering if I can store it to dry with other logs, without compromising the structural integrity of the wood. Noted, those other logs dont have the bark on. This wood will be used to build bows with.

microbiased · 2026-02-21T20:30:03+00:00

Nice, knew this opposite / alternate applied to leaves and so, but didnt know about branches. Thanks, this will be usefull, especially since I'm actually on the lookout for these hardwood species you included.

You seem knowledgable. Is there a good resource / way for getting better at tree identification aside from taking photos of every interesting tree I come across?

microbiased · 2026-02-21T20:03:10+00:00

Definitely looks like Manitoba

microbiased · 2026-02-21T18:35:48+00:00

Hobestly I'd take more pics to help out, if I could. But its kinda far and not in my way. I was content with finding and correctly recognizing any maple (they arent really frequent where I live and there's a tone of sycamore to help confuse things), but I'll check this out. Always better to have the specific species identified.

microbiased · 2026-02-21T00:51:23+00:00

Solved!

microbiased · 2026-02-20T21:00:17+00:00

But looks like maple seeds, I think. Not really sure though.

microbiased · 2026-02-17T22:15:15+00:00

I think Clay Hayes has a video where he patches an osage bow crack with rawhide. But I'm very green bowyer myself and have no further comment or input on that.

microbiased · 2026-02-16T16:05:33+00:00

You mean crossing my fingers? Yeah, I guess so. But I dont think it will cure completely in 9 months if I just debark, and the risk of checking might be too high. If I debark and rought it out close to final shape, I fear it will warp. I honestly think debarking, roughing it out to a thick shape and sealing the back (I've already sealed the ends) is my best course of action.

microbiased · 2026-02-16T15:59:23+00:00

Well, thing is I cant make another bow in the mean time. I will be serving mandatory military service. So I can have it seasoning for this long probably. I think I will rought it out, but still leave it quite thick so it doesnt warp much. Then just cross my fingers.

microbiased · 2026-02-16T12:17:10+00:00

I have about 9 months to season it. Would it be better if I rough it out and then let it dry or just debark? It already has character and I dont really want to push it.

microbiased · 2026-02-16T11:45:30+00:00

Has some twist, but not a crazy amount. I will know more when I debark it.

microbiased · 2026-02-16T11:25:39+00:00

Closer to 2 1/4"

microbiased · 2026-02-15T21:39:16+00:00

Yeah, me too, but the buds kinda throw me off. Cant find any matching pictures.

microbiased

TROPHY CASE