I was wondering if loral wood would make a good bow. Depending were your from you might call it Madrone. I was just wondering. I know it is realy hard wood.

Bay Laurel makes good bow wood.  

Not sure if this is what your talkin' about?

loral,the tree that sheds it bark..and is orange or redish thin bark..which is also know as pacific madron...and yes you can make a bow from it and it would have to come from a large tree that is straight..the younger one like to twist in growing and drying in stave form...it might take some pratice the wood is hard...i havent made a bow from it..BUT,there was a guy from northen cali that wrote a artical in primitive archer about it in the first issues of pa i think...this is the right time of year to go looking and cutting..i would say give it a try AND DONT GIVE UP...maybe you could do a search for the pa magizane..i hope this help alittle...john

i all so have to say that i think very few people have made bows from and i dont know why..maybe it because that it only grows out here..

Thanks John. The stuff grows everywere out here. I'll give it a run and let you all know how it works out.

if i remember right from the artical that the wood is sensitive to heat in the drying stages..since you live in madron country you might have seen logs of madron that have been laying and drying and the ends all blown apart from checking...i have all my stuff in storage i wish i could find that old pa mag with the artical in it to help you out...well good luck ...john

I've worked with laurel a lot. Cutting it for firewood ect and it splits out and shatters really easily. I would not think it would make a good bow at all.
God bless you, Steve