Just wondering if Spalted Hard Maple would make good bow tip overlays?   :confused:    Found some nice looking stuff but don't want to buy if it is not good wood for tip overlays or even handles.  Thanks for any help here.  

I wouldn't trust it. That's my .02 cents. Maple in any form isn't hard enough for my tastes. I stick with ipe, horn or antler.

Maybe if it's stabilized? I am experimenting with stabilized black palm and it seems to be working out ok. If it works, I would think stabilized spalted maple would be ok for tip overlays

Just so you know. Spalted is a fancy term for rotten.

Lol, Chris. Pretty much.

Reminds of this super fancy burl wood I found on the big auction site several months ago. I don't recall the name now, but it was 3/4 x 3/4 x 6" and I thought they would be gordeous as tip overlays so I bought them. When it came my elation deflated because it was as light as a feather. I just know they wouldn't hold up to the tortures bow wood endures, so there it sits. Maybe I'll use them for knife handles or something someday.

OK thanks much, I have never looked at it before so wasn't real sure.

It would make for great handle fillers when a stave is thin, or for a board bow handle.

You could use it over glass. The glass give it strength, the spalted maple give it purty.

I have used hard maple with no problems. The spalted would want to be stabilized or on the top layer with the groove filed thru to something harder under that.

I wouldn't use Spalted Maple and plain Maple will be compressed by today's strings.  By itself it doesn't matter but layer Maple with another piece of hard (non compressible) wood and you may have a problem.