debarking?

[Loren Holland]

started drawknifing the bark off a pecan log [not a pecan cheese log    ].  The only true stave i have worked with before was crepe myrtle, so removing bark was a breeze.  I remember from that TBB that removing winter bark is tougher but holy cow, is there a better way to do this than a drawknife?  I even used a hammer and chisel for awhile, and then switched back to the knife when i got close to the last bit of cambium.

[DVSHUNTER]

I have thought the same thing with some osage that I get. I jjust keep my head down and keep going with the draw knife.

[red hill]

I tried a dried and seasoned winter-cut hickory stave a while back.  Couldn't budge the bark on that thing.
The hickory I cut this past summer was a snap.
Stan

[Pat B]

The only time the bark will release easily is if the tree is cut during the growing season. The only living portion of the tree trunk is the very thin(a few cells thick)cambium layer. The bark above and the wood below the cambium are both dead material. While the cambium is active the bark will peel right off from the wood. After the growing season the cambium has already become this years wood and next spring a new cambium will form.
  When you have winter cut wood you really have to work at getting the bark off. It is easier to do if the wood is still green but it is still lots of work!

[Loren Holland]

I found that the hammer/pick i use for masonry, works to get the rough bark off. then a hammer/chisel works to take of chunks of bark/cambium.  if you very carefully slide the chisel sideways between the heartwood and sapwood and keep a good angle you can chisle it all off one inch at a time.

[red hill]

What do I know, Pat.  Daddy always told us it was best to cut firewood, or trees in general, in the winter when the "sap was down."  That's what he was taught.  But we weren't making bows either.  
I've learned.
Stan

[Pat B]

Stan, when I started making bows(many years ago) what I read always said to winter cut your bow wood when the sap was down. Since then I realized it doesn't matter all that much because you will be drying the wood anyway. I prefer to cut whitewood during the growing season so I can just peel the bark off to expose the bows back. With woods like osage, mulberry and black locust it really doesn't matter when because you have to get the bark and sapwood off anyway. I guess for these woods there is less of a chance of them checking with lower sap content...but I cut bow wood when it is available, winter, spring summer or fall!

[George Tsoukalas]

Bark gets cemented on pretty strong ha? Be careful with the dknfe but that's the only way in the winter and once the bark has been on for awhile.  Some say you can soak it in the shower but I don't let water anywhere near hickory. LOL. If I'm working on a hickory bow and I want a drink of water I go across the cellar....just kidding! Jawge