Simple question for selfbow wood.
My #1 & #2 choices are osage and hickory respectively, but what would be your #3 choice in selfbow wood?
I need to cut some more wood and might have to take what I can get.
Osage, hackberry, elm and then hickory.
Elm..or vine maple would be my choices. Dont think you are gonna find vine maple out in Indiana though so I would go Elm or Sugar Maple.
Hop hornbeam, elm are tied for 3rd.
I 2nd HHB...but there isn't much difference to me between hickory n HHB. I think I actually like HHB better than hickory...but your gonna get a lot of different answers cus its too close of a race. Hackberrys great too...and so on
I have been playing with hackberry and really like it, works easy, grows straight, and it's everywhere!
I've made a few black locust bows, and never from a prime piece, junk wood mostly, but that's one wood I'm impressed with. Hoping to get past that fretting stage on my next one!
Yew
I've made a few from black locust, nice pretty wood and never had any fretting problems yet, however I have heard that about black locust.
Never worked Osage but I plan on it If I can find a stave but I do like Hackberry and have built a couple Hickory bows.
Were your BL bows selfbows of backed Roy? Seems like you northern folk have better luck with this type wood.
Backed with bamboo, Art.
One of my favorites with boo backing is red elm. Have you tried that combo yet Roy?
With my limited experience I'd say Yew and then Osage.
No Art, I'm still waiting for you to send me up a red elm stave:)
Can't get that big ol' boy of mine to tackle another red elm Roy. He's still cursing me over that last one. Who would have thunk it'd be that tough!
Ya elm is tuff splitting...
I love and hate elm. My PA trade bow is going to be red elm.
I don't even mess around with elm n I kerf cut it to get it to split. See..told ya you wood get a bunch of answers. Try em all and form your own opinion.
Black Cherry, cause its what I've got to work with.
If anyone wants to send me something else I'd love to swap with you. :bigsmyl: :bigsmyl:
From my limited time I have to go Yew, Osage, Hackberry, or maybe Yew, Hackberry, Osage, because the Hackberry puts a bow in your hand so quickly and it is very light and fast,,,,,
I think I'm going to have to try and cut some Hackberry when the sap starts flowing and I can make sure thats what I'm cutting. Also, I know I've seen some HHB in the woods somewhere. I'm guessing that with all whitewoods, you just peel off the bark and the wood underneath becomes the back of the bow?
QuoteOriginally posted by TroyH:
I'm guessing that with all whitewoods, you just peel off the bark and the wood underneath becomes the back of the bow?
Yup
Black locust. Jawge
Juniper
Osage, Yew, Hickory.