Soft wood riser

[Tiabnogard]

I'm still an amateur at all this, so this may be an odd question. When making a board bow with a riser attached for the handle area, is it possible to use a softwood, such as poplar, or aromatic cedar for instance? My thought is that since the handle area in this type of bow should not be bending, that the type of wood is not as crucial here. I've searched other threads, and although I've seen great advice about where to begin the fades, how thin they should be, etc., I haven't found anything regarding soft woods.

[CaptainJ]

I tried aromatic cedar on a handle I thought was not bending. It evidently was even though still 1 1/4" thick. The cedar cracked and took the rest of the elm bow with it in spectacular fashion. (my wrist hurt for a week!)
Poplar is much stronger than cedar but I would still go with something a bit tougher.

CJ

[Tiabnogard]

Thanks for the advice. Red oak is cheap enough in any case where I can't get something nicer looking. Got some cocobolo. Am planning on making some riser wood from multiple types glued together at some point, but will need a bandsaw or planer before I can cut thin pieces.

[Tiabnogard]

Any other advice is still welcome from others.

[okie64]

I've never tried either one of those woods in the handle but I think they would work ok as long as the fades on the limbs extend out 3 inches or so past the handle to take the stress off of the handle wood. Purpleheart is the only wood I've ever had crack in the handle and it is hard as a rock, go figure.