mulberry question

[Bob Barnes]

a friend has some nice mulberry and needs to know if you take the sapwood rings off or not...?  He says that they feel very good when using the drawknife on them, but he can take it on down to the heartwood easily enough too... what is best?  
thanks much.
Bob

[ozarkcherrybow1]

Bob, I'm on my third mulberry bow right now and I've taken all of them down to heartwood. Makes a real nice selfbow... I would say "treat it like osage" maybe just a little wider is all...Terry

[Bob Barnes]

thanks Terry...that's what I thought.  Are you going to the TBA shoot at Mayflower on the 3rd?  It should be fun.
Bob

[ozarkcherrybow1]

Bob, have'nt thought about it. I'm sure that my friend Bill Cooksey will be trying to get a group of us to go. Is that March 3rd? Never been there but, I've heard alot about it...Terry

[Bob Barnes]

yes, saturday march 3rd...starts at 9am.  I think we had as many there last year as at the state shoot later in the year.  Leave Cooksey at home...he is too serious about winning...  

Bob

[Pat B]

Bob, I have made mulberry bows with sapwood left on and with only heartwood.  The best part of the mulberry for making bows is the heartwood but a ring or 2 of sapwood makes a nice contrasting back with the rich color of the heartwood. Too much sapwood will not make weight like the heartwood alone will.   Pat

[poekoelan]

You guys are lucky. I've always wanted to try mulberry and it's pretty common around here. But I can't find a tree with a bow in it to save my life. I thought only osage and vine maple were supposed to be like that.