warbow made from very old growth fir

[rudderbows]

The foreman in our shop had some old growth fir that had tight growth rings and very vertical grain. he decided to build a 100 pound warbow from it after backing it with a thin hickory backing. To our complete surprize it turned out really well. Old growth is far different than the new hybrid stuff. I am wondering if it will last??? It seems alot harder than the new hybrid stuff grown today for building houses etc.

[blackhawk]

Cool...got any pics jim...how much set did it take? Dimensions?

[Matt S.]

I'm pretty sure Pine "compression wood" was commonly used in northern Europe for belly wood on their war bows.
The old yellow pine trim work of our 100+ year old house has very tight and straight grain and I wouldn't be surprised if it were equivalent to medium weight hardwoods like oak or maple.

Would love to see some picts though! 

[Elktracker]

Ya I would like to see some pictures of this one, I have access to very tight , straight grained Doug Fir and usually just use it for arrows but there is so much around after the floods that it would be something cool to try. Most of the stuff around here has been under water for a very long time and has also been through the Tillamook Burn so Im not sure how this would affect the wood but it is very solid stuff and the farmers allow people to go get it out of there fields when the water receads.

Josh

[rudderbows]

I am sorry i dont have any pictures of it, he gave it to his son. It was fairly hard compared to the modrn doug fir. It did take about 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" of set. Didnt seem too bad considering the weight

[PatM]

Depends what you mean by "Fir".  Douglas Fir is not actually a fir. Are they actually hybridizing DF? With  what?
 I know they crossbreed Spruce of various types and I'm sure the same can be done with the true Fir trees but comparing that to DF probably isn't a valid comparison.
 One of the best Native bows tested by Pope was a DF cable backed bow so the performance of the wood in a backed bow isn't that surprising.

[adb]

If Douglas Fir, isn't a "Fir", then what is it?

[CraigMBeckett]

If Douglas Fir, isn't a "Fir", then what is it?

True firs are Abies as in Abies Alba - Silver Fir, Douglas fir is of the genus Pseudotsuga.

Craig

[Elktracker]

So what would the true old frowth firs be? Some of these logs that wash up are 6 feet tall when laying on there side and the grain is so tight its hards to count the rings.

[zdogk9]

Elk Tracker,
The stuff washing up around you is in all probability Doug Fir, especially in the sizes you mention. When I was a kid it was common to see three log loads going down the highway headed for the log dump across 101 from NeahKahNie HS

[Elktracker]

Thanks Ya its pretty amazing some of the logs that wash up, makes ya wish they were all still standing!

Josh

[zdogk9]

they'd just started salvage logging the burn when I was a kid, there were a few trestles along 26 and lots of snags still standing, this was the mid 50s