Oak stave

[kodiakkid]

Well I drive a log truck as my profession. Most the time the loggers I haul for cut pine. Occasionally  some hardwood gets cut if we're on a clearcut. Well I asked for this piece of oak today and was fortunate enough to get it. I have read on here that oak makes a good bow. It was 20' long. I cut it into three 6' pieces and split it up. The butt end had started to rot so I am only gonna be able to get 40" staves out of that piece. Guess I'll make kids bows out of em. Can anyone identify the type of oak and am I correct about the fact it will make decent bow wood. Pics below. Also pictured is a drawknife that belonged to my grandaddy. He used it in the 20's & 30's for making fence post. Thought it would be pretty neat to use it on a bow build. Paul<><
 
 
 
 
 
Roxie looks on
 
Grandaddies drawknife
 

[tim roberts]

If the stuff is good for bows you are sure in some good times there!  

[Pat B]

Paul, Looks like a lot of good bow wood to me. I believe it is one of the red oaks. Possibly Southern Red Oak. Those old draw knives have good steel in the blades and work very well. Not too much difference between making fence posts and bows. d;^)   Your partner is cute too!

[Dean Marlow]

The logs look like either Red Oak or Black Oak. Both will make good bows. If you leave the bark on them don't forget to spray them to keep the bugs from eating them up. Dean

[George Tsoukalas]

I was going to say red oak too but that's got a lot of heartwood for a whitewood. But I'm not from the South. Jawge

[kodiakkid]

I think red oak is probably correct. I can tell a white oak from other oaks but when it comes to live, water, and red oaks I can't tell them apart. Does white oak make good bow wood?

[razorback]

Sure hope it makes good bow wood otherwise you have split a whole lot of fire wood the hard way.
 

[Don Batten]

Way to go Paul. All that wood splitting will keep ya outa trouble. LOL DB

[Broke another one]

Looks like red oak, the red tented heartwood is a give away. Good luck on making alot of great bows.

[mwmwmb]

red oak group. for sure. which species, hard to say. but they have similar properties.