Inner bark for backing?

[Lee Lobbestael]

On winter cut hickory, the inner bark sticks tight to the wood. It seems fairly tough and I was wondering if it could be left on the back of the bow? Would it provide good protection like a backing?

[R H Clark]

I've tried it before and I broke on me causing a hinge.I would get rid of it except for maby a few small thin streaks which when stained works to break up the pattern.

[ranger 3]

Here is some inner brak on Elm
 

[George Tsoukalas]

You can leave some on here and there but not all of it. Jawge

[Dano]

The loose cambium will usually come off during tiller. It adds a nice camo effect.

[Lee Lobbestael]

Thanks guys the reason i was wondering this is because i have some winter cut hickory with very thin growth rings and it will probably be tough getting it all off without violating the first growth ring. (I want the first ring to be the back of my bow)

[Dano]

Go slow, and a scraper will do the trick.

[bigcountry]

I bought a spokeshave just for removing the cambium layer from wintercut hickory.  I have like 10 staves.   I can set the spokeshave to cut real shallow and not worry about cutting into a ring.  I tried with a drawknife and scraper but a lot of work.  And I usually ended up cutting into the 1st layer.

[George Tsoukalas]

Use a pen knife as a scraper then. I would not use the spokeshave. The cambium may not be the same thickness throughout and you may get some dips resulting in a violated ring. Jawge

[bigcountry]

Yea, I am kinda worried about a stave I roughed out and close to floor tiller.  I know I got some dips.  And one place midlimb on the edge of the limb, I did cut into the first ring.  

I am decideing on weather to move further.

So maybe even a real shallow spokeshave is too risky

[Dano]

A goose neck scraper works good too, to get down in dips. Scrapping it flat will get you into trouble.
  Mark, you can always back that bow with rawhide.

[bigcountry]

Originally posted by Dano:
A goose neck scraper works good too, to get down in dips. Scrapping it flat will get you into trouble.
  Mark, you can always back that bow with rawhide.

I figured that would be the best plan.  And I already got some practise putting that down.

I always thought the cambium layer could be left on.  Glad I never tried to keep it on after reading this post.

[Dano]

Oh it can be left on, but very thin, like the picture ranger posted. When the stave is being tillered the thicker stuff will pop loose and you just have to thin that down. Then when you do the final sanding you can smooth out the rough spots.

[Dano]

Here's a picture of a hickory stave bow I built last year, very little cambium left.
 

[bigcountry]

You took all that down with a scraper?  Lot of work.

Is that python?

[Dano]

Yep, it's a little work, no where near like chasing a ring tho. That's bull snake.

Sorry Lee, I hope we didn't hyjack your thread too badly.