European wood for longbow

[Chris3kilo]

Anyone know any good european-scandinavian wood for a slim long-selfbow. Besides the, impossible to acquire, yew.
And in general, what classify a type of wood good for either long or flatbow? All I seem to read about is what makes a good flatbow.

[PatM]

Elm.

[dragonman]

ash and elm work, ash is easiest to get, but elm makes a better bow

[Chris3kilo]

Yeah elm is, sadly, extinct here in Denmark. Got an ash stave tied down and dryin I'll try in 2 month or so.

[PatM]

Actually extinct?

[FilipT]

You have ridiculously dense ash in Norway of about .85 SG, makes superb warbows, only it needs to be carefully watched for humidity level.

[AndrewS]

What's about dogwood (cornus mas).
May be sloe (prunus spinosa) or hawthorne (Crataegus)

[Chris3kilo]

PatM ,yes I was told by a lumberjack and I've never seen one here.
Stalker, do you know the right humidity level for our ash? I'm looking forward to work on my ash stave, but the electrical resistant is only 4,6 megaohm wich is like 18-19%
Andrew, no dogwood or hawthorn in my area, but some slie at the beaches. Do they actually become big enough to make a bow ?

[FilipT]

I haven't used your ash, but I heard that general opinion is use it below 10% of humidity, like hickory for example. Always work in warm environment and when done for the day, put it near radiator so it doesn't soak humidity again.

[loon]

Hazel?
Pine? Yes, pine. Like in the Saami bows. But it probably needs to be backed, unless you're going lower weight. The humidity (or oil?) must be kept high, and I don't know about back grain violations. Maybe the back would be the center of the branch or the inside of the compression part of the trunk that is crooked and curved up, in a way that is "decrowned". And it has to be reaction wood. It's reportedly about as good as yew at compression, according to Kviljo.
Spruce, cedar or something may be better?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibX_0LgbTEw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1F7cT7s3LM

[mikekeswick]

Try and find a patch away from the sea for the sloe/blackthorn. When it grows by the sea you just get a ground covering 'shrub'. It will make a superb bow but try to find a large dense patch of it and then go 'tunneling' to the middle......

[Chris3kilo]

I've played with some pine before. It's often very straight but it has way too many.. what is it called in english??  u know the spots in the wood where a branch is growing.
I actually got som hazel roughed out and drying. Should be ready in 2 weeks. But I read that hazel is good for flatbows and not warbows longbows?
I'll keep my eyes open for blackthorn

[loon]

knots? yeah.. :\ maybe some other conifers don't have as many.

maybe juniper backed with something (maple? white oak?) would be good for english longbow shaped things.

[Roby-Nie]

I actually got som hazel roughed out and drying. Should be ready in 2 weeks. But I read that hazel is good for flatbows and not warbows longbows?

If You don't go to high in poundage (let's say below 160lb), good hazel should work fine.

[stuckinthemud]

Hazel works well if you keep it kind of square in cross-section - Del made an excellent hazel war-bow - its on PA somewhere, I followed his dimensions but reduced it a lot to make a light hazel longbow and it is a really sweet shooting bow