Rich, we went into this elsewhere. I apologize for my obvious mental deficiency evidenced by "regurgitating what every one else said." However, I would say that Tim has done more of the "research" that you speak of than anyone alive, so I would tend to listen to what he has to say. Aside from my feeble closed-minded digestion and re-vomitation of everybody else's ideas, I have also worked with trees and wood most of my life, and couldn't help but notice a few properties of different species of wood and form a few of my own opinions along the way. You make some excellent bows, and I respect your opinion even if you seem to take offense to mine. But; to recap what you don't seem to be reading: I never said that you couldn't make a bow from willow!!!!! I have no doubt that you can and will make one. I also have no doubt that John Strunk could make a bow out of willow, or balsawood for that matter, if he took a notion to. Hell, I saw the Mythbusters on TV make a crossbow that actually shot from newspaper and elastic from a pair of drawers. Would I want to rely on a newspaper-and underwear- bow for deer hunting? No. Would it be fun to make one as a challenge? Sure! From my "regurgitation" of Tim's info, you will notice that he did actually make a willow bow that shot pretty good. I am also positive that Russel could make a willow shooter. I'm pretty sure that if I set my mind to it, I could probably make a willow bow that would shoot, as could most bowyers with some experience under their belts. The point I am making, though, is that I wouldn't set people who are new to this up for a bunch of frustration by acting like willow is just as good of wood as hickory, osage, ash, elm, etc., to make your first, second or third bow from, because it simply ain't. If you can't possibly find any other wood, go for it! If you want to try to make a good willow bow as a personal challenge, more power to ya! I still wouldn't say to a beginner that willow is a good wood for bowmaking. We have lots of willow around here, and from doing plenty of tree work over the years, I can tell you that it is obviously a weak, brittle wood, weaker than pine, boxelder, silver maple, or almost anything else we have here. Different species of willow might have slightly different properties, and different climates might affect its performance, but most of us don't live in the desert. I might try to make a willer bow myself one of these days too, just for the helluvit; but I'll be wincing every time I pull it back, and I ain't taking it deer huntin'.
