If backing with rawhide, how bad can a hickory board be?

[TheDeltaFactor]

I have some nice rawhide but no board. I've looked through dozens if not hundreds of hickory boards and haven't seen one that I would make a self bow from. What kind of 'problem' hickory boards would still make a good shooter if backed with rawhide?

[sleek]

Dont forget to check tje ax and sledge handle section too for good grain hickory. Ypu can splice or make a takedown with them with great results. Often they are high quality over boards.

[bubby]

Rawhide doesn't make up for bad grain you still need to get the best board you can

[Weylin]

Rawhide doesn't make up for bad grain you still need to get the best board you can

What bubby said

[Limbit]

I had a really crap piece of yew I didn't want to waste, so I rawhide backed it. The bow split on the tiller tree, but the rawhide held it together and kept it from blowing up. Point being: rawhide want fix a problem, but it will lessen the impact.

[sleek]

Bamboo can fix the problem though. Give that a try?

[Lumberman]

Where abouts in the country are ya? I've got quite a few excellent grained hickory boards from last week

[George Tsoukalas]

With any board, I allow 2 run outs per limb as a maximum for 45-55#. That's for selfbows.  Also, any boards with knots are rejected.
More on my site.

http://traditionalarchery101.com/

Jawge

[TheDeltaFactor]

Where abouts in the country are ya? I've got quite a few excellent grained hickory boards from last week

I'm in southeast Michigan. I think every stack of lumber within 50 miles has already been picked through by bowyers! :-)

[TheDeltaFactor]

With any board, I allow 2 run outs per limb as a maximum for 45-55#. That's for selfbows.  Also, any boards with knots are rejected.
More on my site.

http://traditionalarchery101.com/

Jawge

Great information, and nice site, thank you! I'll just be patient and keep my eye out for a board at least as good as you described.

[TheDeltaFactor]

Dont forget to check tje ax and sledge handle section too for good grain hickory. Ypu can splice or make a takedown with them with great results. Often they are high quality over boards.

I never would have thought of that, that's a great idea. Now that I'm thinking about it, are axe/sledge handles wide enough? Maybe you wouldn't make a wide flat bow with them...

[sleek]

I have made several bows of them un backed and they do fine 40#@25. If I did a take down instead of a splice I could pull them further because splices use more available limb length than take down sleeves or bolt on risers.

[TheDeltaFactor]

I have made several bows of them un backed and they do fine 40#@25. If I did a take down instead of a splice I could pull them further because splices use more available limb length than take down sleeves or bolt on risers.

Well, it's not the type of bow I first had in mind, but I like it. I'm going to start checking the axe handles as well as boards when I'm searching. Who knows, I might find something there first.

[Lumberman]

Bummer, well swing through south east iowa and I'll hook u up haha

[Dakota Kid]

Check the wheel barrel handles too. Make sure they are hickory first of course, but they often are.