First buckthorn bow

[H Rhodes]

     This bow is my first attempt at buckthorn.  I was given this fine stave by Mr. Badly Bent at the Classic last May.  Buckthorn is a delightful bow wood.  I had been admiring the buckthorn bows posted by Cody and Greg for some time now.  I was anxious to try one of my own, but had some things come up this past summer that kept me out of the shop for a while.  I really enjoyed building this one.  This bow hits hard with good manners.   Bow has limbs 1 1/2" wide tapering to 1/2" tips.  It is 65" nock to nock and draws 58lbs. at 28".  The bow weighs 18.25 ounces including the 12 strand B-50 string.  Thanks for the good stave Greg.

[DuBois]

Very Nice!
Is the back chased or just under the bark?

[johnfolchetti]

Very nice work.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Real nice work Howard. I love a good piece of buckthorn as well, great wood to work with.

[H Rhodes]

Thanks guys.  The back is what's just under the bark and sanded smooth.  I started to flip the tips on it a bit, but it has a scary looking knot right where I would have attempted the bend, so I just left well enough alone. 

[burchett.donald]

Howard,
             You done that Buckthorn stave justice...I like the pin nocks and your tiller looks excellent...
                                                                                                                                                  Don

[osage outlaw]

Very nice looking bow Howard

[H Rhodes]

Thanks Don and Clint.  I hated to finish it since we don't have buckthorn around here.  It is really pleasant wood to work.  I was amazed at how much belly wood you can remove and how stiff that stave remained.  Seems to have good compression strength. 

[Badly Bent]

Man Howard you did an outstanding job on that stave, looks like a real fine bow brother.
Actually if I'm remembering right I'm pretty sure that stave had most if not quite all the sapwood removed and chased to a heartwood ring or very close to it. I did a day or two after cutting it and sealed it good with shellac. I cut about 4 trees that day and got around 9 staves, 5 of which checked beyond being any good.
3 I left the sapwood on and they survived, your was the only one I chased down. Think I'll try that on the next one I cut.
Again nice work Howard, glad you got a bow out of that sometimes finicky wood species.

[H Rhodes]

Thank you Greg.  I didn't do much to the back other than give it a good sanding.  Buckthorn is good stuff.   I have one more piece that you gave me that has a lot more character to it.  It may have to wait until after hunting season though.  I have been making up for lost time in the shop these days, but that will come to halt on the 15th!  I can't wait for the season to start.     

[simson]

And another fine classy bow, you're a busy guy

[H Rhodes]

Thank you Simon.  Yeah, I was suffering from withdrawal symptoms since I had to take four months off for a surgery on my shoulder.  I didn't get into the shop all summer, so I have been making up for lost time.

[bubby]

nice , I love me some BB buckthorn although I had to chase the ring on mine and with my eyes that was a chore great looking bow greg's a great guy aint he

[H Rhodes]

I hear you Bubby.  The rings on this stuff play tricks on my eyes.  Greg left me a nice ring of sapwood on this one and it was such a good stave, even a gorilla like me couldn't have hurt it much. In fact, I was confused by it.  Having never worked it before, I didn't know he had done that till he told me so!   He is a very generous guy.  I got two staves from him.  This one was the clean beginner model.  We will see how I come out on the next one. 

[missilemaster]

Me likes Howard, me likes bunches!