Understanding different custom bow wood choices?

[buckhorn70]

So..... I'm not new to traditional archery as I have dabbled for years, but I am a long ways from being an expert. I have a question regarding different bow woods that custom bowyers offer. It's quite overwhelming when you go on the different websites. I want to get a better understanding of the different woods offered. Is there an article or video explaining the differences? I know some woods are purely cosmetic and some offer a different characteristic/functions on any given bow.

Take me to school....... Thx

[McDave]

I can't help you too much on this, other than to make the distinction between veneers and laminations.  The veneers are very thin strips that are generally made from exotic woods, and are glued on the outside of the laminations. AFAIK, the veneers are purely cosmetic.

The laminations are thicker and do the work.  There are not as many options for laminations as for veneers.  Common options for laminations are maple, bamboo, osage orange, yew, and a few others.  I don't know much about homemade bows, but I have seen or heard of homemade bows using many different types of wood for either self or laminated bows than I have seen offered by bowyers.  Many bows only have laminations and no veneers.

[M60gunner]

What is more frustrating is a list of wood/veneer choices and no pictures to relate to. One option is looking at the website shown above, "Woods from the West". I do a search which usually gives info and pictures of the wood I am interested in. If I was going to say make a laminated bow I would check out Bingham Projects. They offer woods, solid, laminated, and veneers.
 

[Tim Finley]

I always ask do you like reddish color woods or brown, whatever they say I then explain what I have in stock and usually text them pictures of bows with those woods.  It doesnt help to just send them a picture of the wood because it looks alot different in a bow than a board .
  Most dont know the difference between bocote and coco bolo or shedua they only know maples and walnut but when they see some bows with the other woods then they recognize it but just dont know the name . Pictures are helpful, wood choices change according to availability and found items.

[Long Barrel Colt]

Informative thread. All I know is when I learned that Black Widow offered bows with risers made of desert ironwood, I bough one of their Recurves and one of their Long Bows with the ironwood. One of my favorite woods

[BigJim]

Long barrel colt, although they may offer some desert ironwood that i'm unaware of, what their common ironwood offereing is not Desert, but Brazilian ironwood. Still very nice.

I have a listing of many of the different woods that I offer with pictures on my website so my customers can go to it to decide.

A laminated bow with veneers in the limbs will not be affected by wood choice except to add mass weight in the riser. That is if the builder uses very thin veneers.
BigJim

[Long Barrel Colt]

Thank for the in info  big Jim, I like the idea of iron wood tough stuff. Regards

[hybridbow hunter]

The ironwood at black widow bows is ipe a very common wood rather not really figured. Though it is a very hard wood that will hold tough hunting conditions easily

[BigJim]

Ipe or brazilian ironwood is tougher than woodpecker lips. It runs about $25 a bd ft.. Desert Ironwood also that tough, runs about $150 +- depending on figure per bd ft.

Many woods equally tough or near so that show different colors or figure or combo there of.

BigJim

[BAK]

Or, just a thought, you could order your bow with a micarta riser and black glass limbs, so the bowyer could concentrate on performance instead of aesthetics.   

[BigJim]

BAK, if his bowyer can't walk and chew gum at the same time, he might need a new bowyer.

BigJim

[BAK]

I know you're right BigJim, and your bows are gorgeous, but I can't get past the fact a bow is a tool.  I buy a hammer for one job, to pound nails.  I buy a bow for one job, to launch an arrow.  Two ends of the spectrum I guess.   

[BigJim]

Agreed, but most aren't that way.

bigjim

[bowkill146]

Everybody wants a bow that performs, but it never hurts to be able to admire the looks and be proud of what your carrying out to the woods.

[BigJim]

That's right bowkill... when the critters stop to admire your bow, you send one through the boiler room while they are still in amazement!  Thats what i do 

[GCook]

It's just like all the guys who claim to be meat hunters who don't care about inches of bone. 
Let a 150 walk out in front of them and see how fast they get pics up after they kill it.

[KentuckyWolf]

Beauty and function .....a wife has a job(s) doesn't hurt if she looks good too

[dnovo]

  No reason a bow can't be good looking and be functional too.
I use a hammer to pound nails for a living but how many of you who don't do that would spend $110 for a hammer? I want the best in my tools and if I have a pretty one I'll use it just the same but might get more pleasure from it.

[buckeyebowhunter]

Aesthetics plays a larger role for most people than performance does with traditional bows in my opinion. Most guys that are solely worried about performance are shooting wheels.

Now don't get me wrong I want a bow that shoots good and looks good, but above all I want a bow that is reliable and built from reliable materials. Therefore my preference for riser material would be some form of diamond wood or something stabilized like big Jim uses. I've seen too many exotic and domestic risers develop cracks on down the road. No wood looks good when it's cracking.

[shankspony]

 A bow is a work of art made by a master craftsman. Find a wood you like the look of and run with it. On saying that when I have had bows made, I will say I like something, but whats more important is what im using it for, so I tell the bowyer how Im going to use it and then tell them to do what they think is best. Ive haven't been disappointed.