I got some black walnut stave wood from a friend this weekend. I glued the ends but want to know if I should debarked before it dries? If I debarked it, do I need to seal that surface?

I did a test section and boy did it come off easy! Just want to make sure I prep the wood so he can have a bow off his parents property! Thanks y’all!

I have built several selfbows from walnut, but they are mostly small trees or saplings.I peel the bark off when sapling is green,and ax it down to rough cut bow,With a draw knife and rasp i take the bow down to 85 percent.I next put it on a form, and get all the kinks, and crooks out of it, and line limb tips up with handle while clamping bow down to the form. My basement stays 60 to 62 degrees,and i leave it dry at its own pace.When it is dry enough i start heat treating the belly sometimes 2 or 3 times.Bow has about 4 inches of back set at his point.When i get to finish tiller bow has roughly 1 inch back set,is very light,and is pretty snappy.My draw 26 inches ,and i shoot for around 45lbs.draw weight.58 to 62 inches long, 1 and three quarter to 2 inches coming off the fades tapered to 1 half inch wide at the tips.Quick way to get a bow out of walnut,and have never had a failure on back or belly of these bows.Very good underrated bow wood for selfbows.28 inch draw 2 wide at fades 64,66,68, inches long Your choice.hope this helped.

I agree with Bassman. That's the way to do it.

thanks fdp that is a nice complement coming from you.

You take the back down to one growth ring?

no just strip the bark off back .the outer growth ring on walnut is thick enough to handle a selfbow with ease and properly heated belly seems to find the neutral plane of the wood.it is one of my favorite woods to build a selfbow.hope that helped.

Kid is a tree cutter. He will have to keep an eye out for me.

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