Bow woods-just curious

[Keenan]

Yew
Yew
Yew
yew
Buckthorn
Juniper
Vine Maple
Cascara   

[Carson (CMB)]

Pacific Yew, because it is the best....<----big period right there

Ocean Spray, it is amazing. And scraping on Heat tempered OS makes the best smelling paper thin wood curls. Has to be one of the best smells I've ever known.

Vine maple, it is very tension strong and surprisingly dense.

[ionicmuffin]

My favorite from experience would have to be the ERC It was quite fun to work with, although it did blow up. Hickory is nice, and oaks weather its white or red in board for are what ive used. If i had to try to get a hold of something id say yew or VM and oceanspray.

[Pat B]

I'd have to say hickory(just because it is so tough), HHB, Elm, (I've only made a few bows from each but was impressed), mulberry(good all around bow wood) and yew(only worked a few times but very impressive).
  Mainly it depends on what I have available that is well seasoned unless I'm making something specific.

[rossfactor]

In my humble opinion both flowering and purple leaf plum are outstanding bow woods. 

Strong in compression and tension, easily moved with heat, durable, beautiful, easy to work, easy to harvest and suitable for many designs (from 48" bendy handle statics to 68 deep bellied long bows and everything in between).

For ease of building, flexibility in design options, forgiving characteristics, and down right "bowy-ness" (an important characteristic that I totally made up), I honestly can't think of a wood (including my limited experience with Osage and Yew) that I would rather build a bow out of. 

8 times out of 10, for me, its Plum.

Gabe

[smoke]

Just a beginner (fewer than 15 bows) but I'd go with hackberry.  For someone like me who has little skill or talent, it is very forgiving and easy to work.

[vinemaplebows]

I have access, or have just about every west coast bow wood, I have tried osage and I would give it a #2 spot because of availability to me. My number one pick without hesitation is vine maple. You can cut vine maple wet and still make a bow that will do it's job. You can make a 70 inch bow, or a 55 inch bow and seems to resist moisture very well with a good finish. Yew is a fine bow wood, but very tempermental and does not do well in extremes in temps either way, and so it is down my list as top bow woods.

VMB

[koan]

I would hafta go with HHB... Im on the verge of replacing osage with ironwood as my #1... It really likes dry heat, its dense, takes multiple finishes well, and..... Im staring at several in my backyard right now, lol... Brian

[Hrothgar]

Hickory,elm, hackberry locust:

hickory- because it doesn't break,
elm- because its fast and has interlocking grain (bad when splitting, good when under the knife),
hackberry- because its usually straight and limbless( if cut in a forest) and easy to work,
locust- because it smells good 

[rossfactor]

I agree with Vinemaplebows that VM is also an incredible versatile and forgiving bow wood.  Easily in my top 5.

The reason I prefer plum to VM is that, while it shares all the great characterless of VM, it also often grows in nice straight staves which make it easier to turn a bow out.  Also VM doesn't like a scraper and plum is easier to work.

Gabe

[JonW]

Hickory or Elm. Cut in the spring and peel the bark. I need to try some HHB sometime though. I just can't seem to find it where I am.

[Slackbunny]

HHB 100%. I've been busy this winter with a bunch of kids bows from branches of the HHB that I cut in the spring, and they are wicked little shooters. I've also got a bigger HHB branch bow in the works and a true HHB stave all roughed out. I really like how this wood behaves. It packs a hell of a punch even in small packages and finishes up real nice. I've never had the priviledge of working with Osage so HHB is the best I know. Luckily it is relatively plentiful in these parts.

[George Tsoukalas]

I've made selfbows from many woods over the years. I cut my bow making teeth on black locust. Love it. It works easily and is quite durable. Hickory and white oak are not too far behind. Thank you for all your responses. Jawge

[bubby]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned hard maple, it's light, works good, great in tension and makes a fast bow, Bub

[Squirrelslayer]

yew (want to make a ELB)
ash  (to give it a try)
hickory (seems to have a good reputation)

have fun in the snow jawge. SS