How far to debark?

[Debarker]

Hello all.  Just joined as I am building a log screen house this summer from pine I am cutting in our small woods.  My first question (a pretty basic one I realize): How far down should I go in removing the bark?  I thought I went far enough, but then over the following couple of weeks, what I left behind on the log darkened considerably.  Sounds like this is called "skip peeled".  Is the darker stuff called inner bark?  Do I need to remove it before I build?  Now that the bulk of the bark is off, is there a clever trick of the trade to get the rest off or do I just go back to the draw knife?  If it helps to know, the trees were felled about 3-4 weeks ago (early March) and debarked over the following few days.  (I would include photos but am struggling to figure out how to do that.)  I have found this forum to be an invaluable resource and look forward to your responses.

[WV Sawmiller]

   Try using a sharpened mechanics scraper like they use to scrape up the grease on the shop floor. It looks like a hoe that has been straightened out. I bought mine from HF for about $15 IRRC. I used it to peel a few small poles I sawed for a neighbor. The blade is about 4" wide and quite sturdy with a stout ash handle.

[Debarker]

Thanks!

[Magicman]

As WV just described above:


 
These are mine and what I use.  

[DonW]

Aka bark spud. For prolonging sharp edges, unmissable. 

[Don P]

It is dry and probably pretty well stuck by now. If you rewet the logs it will soften that inner bark back up and it should be a little easier to scrape off then. I usually take the drawknife and stand up the edge fairly vertical and use it as a scraper for that.

[DonW]

This darkened residue you describe may be what's left of the cambium, the layer just under the bark and it's not really persistent. Probably you can brush it off if you want after it dries. 

[barbender]

If you are in the dry Western US or Canada, that is a common log home finish (skip peeled). Anywhere else the humidity causes is to turn black and nasty👎

[Edvantage]

A good draw knife and proper technique does wonders. Otherwise a pressure washer works but have to be careful not to shred wood surface. Once I learned to use a draw knife it was pretty easy. Even my 10 year old could do it. 

[KEC]

When I was a kid those floor scrapers were what we used to scrape cow manure off the barn floor and into the gutter. They work well for scraping hard packed snow and ice off concrete, too.

[Debarker]

Thanks everyone.