Wormy Hickory

wildcat hunter · February 11, 2012, 08:33:00 PM

A friend just brought a Hickory stave to me, he wants me to make him a bow. The bark is off and I see a lot of small worm holes in it, maybe 2 per square inch. Will it hold alright as is or should I try to follow a grain or make it as is and back it. Its 2" wide 2 1/4" deep and 72" long. Lots to play with.

Pat B · February 11, 2012, 08:35:00 PM

Probably powder post beetles. It might be firewood!

Kyle Patterson · February 11, 2012, 10:37:00 PM

I just lost a wormy hickory stave, busted at 20". Tiller was great.

Art B · February 12, 2012, 12:08:00 PM

Cut you off a slice and do a bend/break test. Good hickory will take a great bend before folding. Bad stuff will just snap into........Art

wildcat hunter · February 12, 2012, 04:32:00 PM

WOW, dosn't look good so far. I will "test" a piece and see what happens. Do the powder beetles dig deep into the wood or just 1/4" or so?

Pat B · February 12, 2012, 07:50:00 PM

They will turn it to Swiss cheese.

gringol · February 13, 2012, 08:47:00 AM

I've heard hickory is particularly susceptible to beetles. I know I've lost more than a few hickory staves to beetles....I don't know about powder beetles, but some beetles can go quite deep >1"...What's really fun is carving out the hole and finding the little guy in there knawing away.

Eric Krewson · February 13, 2012, 08:50:00 AM

Wormy hickory.....BAD.

I tried one bow out a piece that had a couple of worm holes like you described, BOOM!