Collection: Vine Maple Staves

Vine Maple - a dominant understory hardwood of Pacific Northwest forests.  A top tier white wood.  It is extremely strong in tension and lends itself best to snappy reflexed bows   Staves come from 2-5" diameter trees so these staves are always crowned to some degree. Experimentation shows it handles de-crowning very well, owing to its interlocking grain.  Of course, it makes a fine crowned back bow as well. The draw back to vine maple is that its interlocking grain makes it challenging to reduce with drawknife and can plug rasps quickly compared to other bow woods; that said, the end result is usually worth the extra toiling.  Its shining traits are its toughness and its availability, which puts it in the affordable range.  Also, it tends to be a little humpy and bumpy in side profile which provides a challenge to the novice bowyer, but provides a beautiful canvas of character to the experienced bowyer.   

Vine Maple Tips: 

• Steaming a full length stave often allows for easy bark removal leaving a pristine back. 
• Wet heat is preferred for bending or corrections. 
• The pearly white wood is great canvas for alcohol or water based stains.  

Small batches of 6-8 staves will be listed periodically.  

No international shipping on Vine Maple staves at this time.  
Prices listed in description do not include shipping.  Shipping calculated at checkout.