Curley Mulberry (probably) bow PICS ADDED

[sleek]

I have posted several times asking about this type of wood. I have decided it must be Mulberry based on how soft it is compared to osage. It's really easy to scrape and sand.  I got it to 45@26" and it took 5/8 inch set. I induced 1.5 inches of deflex when I spliced the handle, and it now sits at 2 1/8 total string follow. I should have waited longer for moisture to leave it as it was made from a half rotten water logged log Kyle and I found in the woods at Mojam. It's highly figured  I was worried it might RUD (rapid unplanned disassembly ) out on me, but so far it hasn't. I have shot it a little over 50 times. The tiller is slightly off, and I will use a combo of heat and scrapes to get the tiller to come around. As a result it has a bit of hand shock. It's no speed demon, probably hanging out around the mid 150s  but I purposely over built and understressed it.  It's too pretty to risk hot rodding it out. I just wanted it to be a huntable weapon. I'm satisfied, but imagine speed will creep up as I tweak the tiller. I also rounded the belly slightly to reduce stress on the back, trading some set for reduced back strain. Probably worked  on account of the set it did take.

Pics soon as I figure out how.

[sleek]

Full draw needs some slight tweeking, but this is where it is now. It was a difficult one to tiller due to the uneven side profile.

[sleek]

It took almost an inch of set, on top of the 1.5" deflex I induced when I spliced the billets together.You can also see the character the back has. I tried to follow that along the side when tillering the belly.

[sleek]

Here is a poor photo of some of the figuring. I wish I knew how to photo that.

[sleek]

This is the splice. I got a lesson in doing the from Lenny at MOJAM.

[sleek]

This is another pic of some of the figuring this wood has all over it. Looks like tigers eye in the light. This one in particular goes all the way through the limb. these images are back and belly, same spot.

[Nasr]

I can see why you thought this was Osage. Nice bow and that splice looks clean. Did you use hand tools to cut the splice?

[bjrogg]

Very nice Sleek. Would have never recognized you with the trim. I've got a mulberry I cut about 3 1/2 years ago and chased a ring on this past spring when it was to wet to get in the fields. Looking forward to seeing what I can get coax out of it.
Bjrogg

[gutpile]

osage.. my red mulberry is not that yellow...not even close to that yellow...gut

[Parnell]

Hmm, don't have much Mulberry experience but the color looks more like Osage.  I remember talk at The Classic about figured Osage being less of a performer for bow wood  Must be the grain layout?

[sleek]

osage.. my red mulberry is not that yellow...not even close to that yellow...gut

Well, I will take your word for it. I have no idea.

[sleek]

I can see why you thought this was Osage. Nice bow and that splice looks clean. Did you use hand tools to cut the splice?

I used a band saw. I wish I could do this with hand tools, but I don't feel like I can keep 90° alignment by hand.

[sleek]

Hmm, don't have much Mulberry experience but the color looks more like Osage.  I remember talk at The Classic about figured Osage being less of a performer for bow wood  Must be the grain layout?

I built this to mulberry specs, and feel like I'm getting mulberry performance.  So, I'd say that talk is correct. But gosh this is beautiful wood, slow performance or not, it's worth making a bow of it.

As a side note, physicall9, it's very light in the hand for its dimensions. 

[bassman]

Nice job on that one.

[DC]

Purty bow