Question on pignut hickory...

[seminolewind]

I have seen a couple posts showing bows made from this wood, is it as good as other hickory? I know it is used a lot for backing on laminate bows, how is its compression values? Bow woods that I have readily available right near my house include red oak white oak and pignut hickory. How would you rate these in order of preference for a self bow?

Thanks y'all I swear one day ill figure this bow making gig out !

[Newindian]

I think pignut is considered the best of the hickorys. It's still considered a tension wood but handle compression well , I think one of the bow companies ( can't think of which one) has Been using hickory as a bellie wood

[seminolewind]

Ok cool good to know I just would hate putting many hours into a particular wood when others are better.

[Pat B]

All hickories are good bow woods. They are all strong in tension but average in compression. Hickory reacts very well to belly tempering and that helps with the compression.

I'd put hickory here on top...hickory
white oak here and

red oak here

I personally would not use hickory for a belly wood unless I used hickory or weaker tension wood for the back.

[Pappy]

I put pignut at the top of the Hickory family. :)Makes a great bow.
 Pappy

[seminolewind]

I put pignut at the top of the Hickory family. :)Makes a great bow.
 Pappy

Thanks looks like I will be cutting some when I get home !

[seminolewind]

Are the nuts edible ?

[Onebowonder]

Are the nuts edible ?

Apparently pigs think so...

BTW - My first bow was made of Pignut Hickory.  It's awesome stuff.  Trap the back a bit and it'll help with the compression issues everybody has mentioned.  It loves heat treatment, and needs to be sealed well afterwards.

OneBow

[Danzn Bar]

IMO....The nuts of a pignut hickory are bitter.  Shellbark hickory has the best tasting nuts, the trees with a shaggy bark.
DBar

[Parnell]

Hey Elijah,

Hickory does the job and makes a good bow.  I've made several and would be glad to help you when the time comes, I'm sure Eddie will, too.  Eddie has no love for hickory, though.  Gotta go with a trapezoidal cross section, toast the heck out of the belly and seal it really well.  It loses a great deal of power in our humidity.  Keep it in the a/c.

I think it's a phenomenal wood to learn bow making with.

[Pat B]

Elijah, wait til spring to cut the hickory so you can just peel the bark off, otherwise it is a beatch to deal with.

[seminolewind]

Ok cool good advice guys thanks for the help. Parnell ill take you up on that offer !