I've been making self bows out of locally harvested red oak for a year and a half now. One of my neighbors found out and said " I've got something to show you." In his basement he had an eighth section of curly red elm that he bought at a specialty wood store. When he asked them for wood used for making bows the people at the store said that it was one of the more popular woods used by bowyers. Every thing I've read in the TBB's said it was a difficult wood to use. I told him that it was a wood popular with "Traditional" bowyer's, meant to be put under glass where the figure in the wood would not be a problem. I believe he originally wanted to make an english style long bow.
Is this wood usable?
Can simply backing it with rawhide or sinew be a solution?
I feel sorry for the guy and would like to be able to help him make a bow out this wood that he put out hard earned money for.
Any advise would be much appreciated.
Respectfully... Sean C.
