Mulberry

[Bow-cephus]

Well who has made self bows out of mulberry? Also does it affect anything if it is fruitless? I have several around my house and see some good potential staves. Would really like to hear some feedback on this.

Thanks!      

[George Tsoukalas]

I have made one from it. It is a good wood. It likes  a heartwood back so you have to remove the sapwood. Jawge

[Pat B]

Mulberry makes very good bows. Treat it like osage but make it 10% longer and wider than an osage. Like George said you remove the sapwood and use the heartwood. I have made mulberry bows with a few rings of sapwood left on and they shot fine. They were thicker than an all heartwood bow would be.

[Pat B]

...and if it is a true mulberry(Morus sp.) being fruitless shouldn't matter.

[George Tsoukalas]

Good point, Pat. That's true of the other heartwoods (black locust and osage) too. If you must leave the sapwood on because of lack of enough wood then go as close as you can to the heartwood for the back of the bow. Jawge

[shamus]

good stuff, red mulberry. Imagine as less-dense osage. Make it 20% wider than an osage design and you're good.

[Bow-cephus]

Thanks guys I like to hear that; I've never tried osage either although I would about kill for a straight grained board of it!

[Silent Bear]

Yes fruitless mulberry seems to be good bow wood I have made a couple nice sinewed shortbows with it

[Bow-cephus]

Thanks again I'll have to try it! When should I cut a stave and how long do I have to dry it?

Also do I need to dry it before I saw/split it or after?

[Pat B]

Cut the log, split it and seal the ends. Like with osage, if you remove the bark also remove the sapwood and seal the back. Ideally I'd give it a few years to dry but that process can be speeded up.

[Bow-cephus]

Ok, what should I use as a sealant? I've never tried to takle a bow out of a true stave before.

[Pat B]

You can use carpenters glue, shellac, varnish, wax and others.

[Bow-cephus]

Ok thanks guys I'll have to give it a try and if any of you wanna trade a osage stave to me for mulberry just let me know!
Thanks!!