A couple of unrelated questions(unrelated to each other)

[Mudd]

I've never lived in an area with what I call a clean good running stream so I've never gotten to try a method of curing wood I read about a long time ago and I was wondering if anyone has actually tried it?

Here it is in a nutshell: Cut and de-bark your tree then place it in a stream tied down below the water surface level with the larger end of the log placed upstream.
I can't remember the amount of time it was to remain in the stream but supposedly once that time had passed you could remove the wood and allow it to dry producing a well seasoned log.

The logic being that the water pressure from the flowing stream would force water in and through the wood pushing out the sap.

If you have any experience with this method, I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences with it and the resulting woods.

My second question is:

I have an old solid fiberglass bow that's marked 60@28. (I believe it! based on bending it on the floor) Has anyone ever had any success at taking the weight down on such a bow? If so how did you do it and what things do I need to watch out for?

Thanks in advance!
God bless,Mudd

[chrisg]

as for the water story we have a wood in Southern Africa called sickle bush or sekelbos in Afrikaans that is a tough, invader species. It makes great firewood and rugged tool handles fence droppers etc. It is also used to make traditional one piece 'primitive' bows. There is a catch and that is the wood cracks almost as soon as it is cut. We also soak it here but a Malawian friend tells me that is the 'best wood' for a hunting bow, better than the other common one used by the San Bushmen called grewia, or raisinbush. Sekelbos can make a relatively heavy drawweight . So how do they get around the cracking? As soon as its cut RUN to the river and sink it where the water is flowing fast. Anchor with a couple of rocks and leave it for 'a month'. then take out and carve away the sapwood and use the hard heartwood.. I asked about the 'month', he was not specific about that but said he never heard of less time so it turns out that may be the minimum.  I guess the time depends on the thickness of the stave and several other undetermined factors and the actual species. Longer seems better. I have also heard of bamboo being treated this way.
chrisg

[Jason Scott]

Very interesting stuff!

[Stiks-n-Strings]

Mudd,
 
 I read in Dean Torges' or Paul Comstocks book about the indians doing osage that way. I believe it was Pauls book.

[John Scifres]

Heard of it, never tried it.  I remember years ago, someone on the ***********, guy from Alabama, reported trying it in a lake or maybe finding a log in a lake and making a bow from it.

Honestly, it doesn't make sense to me but I know that old growth logs found sunk to the bottom of the Great lakes where they are preserved forever are in high demand right now.  Guy is making a mint recovering them based on a documentary I saw.  I'd love to try one in a bow    

I have retillered a solid fiberglass kid's bow I got from Goodwill.  I just used a rasp, files and scraper like it was wood.  I would not hesitate to try a heavier bow.  Fiberglass splinters are a pain.  I wore leather gloves.  Don't sue me if it doesn't work.  My effort sure made a kid happy at Cloverdale this year    

Peace.

[walkabout]

ive read about seasoning logs in streams too, however alo ive read that simply submerging it in water such as a pond will work.

[chrisg]

I  am also sure that water is water, but perhaps the fast flowing water prevents build up of bacteria or other organisms that might cause rotting. That and borers. My friend was definite about the flowing water. I suppose there are local conventions or methods that are followed that have lost the exact explainations! Try it and see is the best way to check .
chrisg

[Johan van Niekerk]

I've heard that you can just throw it in your swimming pool. The clorine also prevent rot setting in and after a few weeks all the sap have leached out. Haven't once heard from someone who've tried it firsthand though

[Osagetree]

I have an old article from PA that describes salt water curing in detail. Don't guess that would work in your location though. I'll read it again and report back anything interesting.

[scrub-buster]

I recently read that article too.  I think the main point made by the author was how the salt affected the wood.  He said that it was easier to work.

[Bill Skinner]

If you leave an osage stave in clorinated water, it can and will turn green.  Mike and Kenny McGuire were steaming staves and left one in overnight.  The clorine turned one end a light olive green.  It made a good bow.  I suppose the warning is the water may affect the wood.  Bill

[gudspelr]

I'm with Mr. Scifres on a couple points-for some reason, it doesn't make a lot of sense to me (rot comes to mind), but water does seem to preserve wood in many cases.  I've seen building shows use reclaimed wood from sunken ships/boats that's been under water for a LONG time.  I also heard China has been buying/harvesting trees then submerging them in water as a way to store them for future use or selling.

I say give it a whirl and post it all on here   .

Jeremy