"Super woods"

Chris Grimbowyer · August 10, 2011, 09:57:00 PM

Hey guys I have been doing some reading on some rare woods that they say are better than Osage or Yew. They are all high density small shrub like trees. Laburnum, Lilac, and Blackthorn are the 3 I was wondering about. Can anyone tell me about these "super woods"?

Roy from Pa · August 10, 2011, 10:51:00 PM

Nothing beats Osage in my opinion.

DVSHUNTER · August 11, 2011, 01:54:00 AM

QuoteOriginally posted by Roy from Pa:
Nothing beats Osage in my opinion.

YEP.

Osagetree · August 11, 2011, 05:13:00 AM

Could be but, for me there's nothing like osage!
Laburnum & Lilac, and Blackthorn? Send me a stave of each and I'll let you know what I think.

2treks · August 11, 2011, 06:59:00 AM

Chris,Where did you read about said SUPERWOODS?Laburnum was/is used for ELBs
Lilac has always had me wonder as it is HARD and HEAVY.Also SHORT and CROOKED as all get out.
Blackthorn,?????

I have a large wind break of lilac and should "thin" it some,maybe get a stave or two out of it.
What do others know?
OH! and like the others, It will be have to be some SUPER WOOD to change my mind about OSAGE also.

CTT

Tom Leemans · August 11, 2011, 10:49:00 AM

Overheard at MOJam many years ago... I'm paraphrasing but the message was clear enough. There was this ol' Greek guy... Dean something...

who said "Pretty much Yew and Osage and screw the rest."

John Scifres · August 11, 2011, 11:53:00 AM

Find a piece that'll make a bow and let us know. Post pics. Can't imagine they are better than osage or yew but life's too short to limit yourself. Give it a go.

Chris Grimbowyer · August 11, 2011, 12:15:00 PM

Haha, that's why I was asking you guys. I can't find any of the wood myself. It's pretty rare. Here's a link to what I found on lilac. http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/6184/Unfamiliar-bow-woods?page=2
One guy on that post is in the TBB4 In the "Bow wood" chapter, and he says "Lilac is the Strongest, and most elastic bow wood I have used to date"
These two links are all I could find on laburnum.http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/30738
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/17682/master/1/?page=1
Laburnum is similar to yew in terms of sapwood. Also, remember these are all just opinions, and most of these guys are in Europe. They may just be trying to substitute osage.

Chris Grimbowyer · August 11, 2011, 12:16:00 PM

http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/30738 Heres the link that didn't come up right.

Sal · August 13, 2011, 03:20:00 AM

Chris, those European guys are just trying out the woods that they have accessible. They're not claiming the woods they're re-discovering are better than osage or yew, just that they're good bow woods. They're free to think that laburnum and syringa are the best woods they've ever worked into bows, they probably have little experience with osage, being in Europe an all.

I couldn't find the TBB IV author you mentioned, I know several of them, and none of them posted on those threads.

The bothersome part about this post is that it brought up the unnecessary argument of osage vs the world, which wasn't the intention of the threads you're quoting.

SveinD · August 13, 2011, 04:00:00 AM

For one piece bows I think osage and yew may be as good as it gets, but I've heard nothing but praise for the Scandinavian Whych-Elm. Supposedly preferred over Yew in many European countries!

I don't know how the many forms of Maple cope with a 1-pc construction, but there's been good praise on it as a core-wood.
I also heard bowyers here speak well on Hazel, Juniper and Cherry :D

Though I think Juniper requires backing or laminates..

DVSHUNTER · August 13, 2011, 09:57:00 AM

I'm always willing to try new woods. I often trade osage staves for staves of other species. Osage is still what I use most so my first few attemps with other woods were based on an osage design. Those bows had issues. If I had thought more on design, and built a bow with better suited dimensions I would have had more succes with other woods. The ones I have made to fit wood type turned out much better. I've seen some very nice bows from other woods.

I would also say that for a person to be an accurate bow wood guy he would have to have worked, shot, and handled a bunch of different designs/species bows. I try to shoot as many other all wood bows as possible and still am nowhere near close enough to make suggestions about "super woods"

After I have built 500 or so bows from all types of wood, I'll let you know for sure... and post pics, but until I'm proven different, osage gets my vote. Again

Diamondback59 · August 13, 2011, 01:06:00 PM

im with tom yew OSAGE SCREW THE REST BUT ONCE IN A WHILE I DO LIKE TO FIDDLE WITH SOMETHING DIFFRENT IF IT HAS SNAKE IN IT IM EXCITED THE STRIGHT STAVES DONT DO IT FOR ME ANYMORE LOL BROCK

Living_waters · August 13, 2011, 04:07:00 PM

So far I have drawn a goose egg on lilac staves, if you harvest them in summer they are a booger to dry with out checking. Cut one after a storm last year and every stave twisted and checked beyond being usable. If it is one of mamas flower trees you want to try, I seen a red bud self bow that was beautiful. It is about like locust I was told. Wife has a big red bud thats days are numbered

Shaun · August 13, 2011, 10:22:00 PM

If you can't find lilac in Ohio you are not looking. Every farm yard and old town yard will have a lilac bush or hedge.

Oh yeah, there is only one superwood for bows. Those guys in Europe don't have it and they can't even cut the second best - yew - which is protected in most of their countries. That is why they are always on the prod for new bow woods.

Roy Steele · August 13, 2011, 10:29:00 PM

I've made one red bud bow but a few black locust. My first 2 bows were sinewed black locust from fence posts I got from a farmer I hunted on. Gave him $2.oo apeice.
Sence then I made 5 bows from black locust. All were good bows.I would say osage is the most forgiveing bow wood there is.