Yaupon Holly (Ilex Vomitoria) for horn bow core

[Chuckalong]

I am seeking advice about using yaupon holly as a hornbow core wood.


I know from independent sources that it is diffuse porous. I also know from personal experience that it steam bends well. Its splitting properties are decent, but it is inclined to some twist in smaller diameter saplings.

It is widely described as a hard, dense wood. Yet I cannot find any technical data for its specific gravity or crushing strength.


Does anyone here have more info about Yaupon Holly?
Do you think it would make a good hornbow core wood?

[superdav95]

I am seeking advice about using yaupon holly as a hornbow core wood.


I know from independent sources that it is diffuse porous. I also know from personal experience that it steam bends well. Its splitting properties are decent, but it is inclined to some twist in smaller diameter saplings.

It is widely described as a hard, dense wood. Yet I cannot find any technical data for its specific gravity or crushing strength.


Does anyone here have more info about Yaupon Holly?

Do you think it would make a good hornbow core wood?

sorry man.  never worked with it.  If I were to presume that its hard and dense wood thn it should be decent in crush strength at least enough for withstanding the forces of both sinew and horn.  Mullberry, maple, hickory, hhb, and elm among others have been used as core wood for horn bows.  i bet it would be fine.  A good knot free straight grained piece should be pretty safe.  fwiw. 

[Chuckalong]

Thanks, Dav.  I eventually found a source that says the specific gravity of dry Yaupon Holly is 0.72. This confirms my suspicions that it is a much denser wood than regular holly, and this places it in the class of true horn bow woods like hard maple.

https://books.google.com/books?id=ZU4hAQAAMAAJ&pg=PT10

If Chuck Loeffler or anyone else with experience could comment I would appreciate it.

[Pat B]

I doubt any of these guys that build Asiatic horn bows are familiar with Ilex vomitoria because it is indigenous to the coastal areas of SC, GA and FL and no where else that I'm familiar with. I used to live in Coastal GA and SC so I am familiar with it and it's use in Black Tea. I am, however, not familiar with Asiatic horn bow core woods other than mulberry that, I believe, is a traditional wood used. Dave has suggested other woods that would probably be appropriate.
 As much time and effort that goes into these horn bows I think I'd stick to the tried and true woods.
Where do you live, Chuck?

[Chuckalong]

I doubt any of these guys that build Asiatic horn bows are familiar with Ilex vomitoria because it is indigenous to the coastal areas of SC, GA and FL and no where else that I'm familiar with. I used to live in Coastal GA and SC so I am familiar with it and it's use in Black Tea. I am, however, not familiar with Asiatic horn bow core woods other than mulberry that, I believe, is a traditional wood used. Dave has suggested other woods that would probably be appropriate.
 As much time and effort that goes into these horn bows I think I'd stick to the tried and true woods.
Where do you live, Chuck?

Sorry for taking so long to respond, Pat! My life got all twisted up and i forgot about this thread.

I am sure nobody has ever used ilex vomitoria to make a bow yet -- since it's so rare. But on paper it seems to have very similar properties to hard maple. It is diffuse porous and has truly excellent steam bending properties, it is also straight grained where you will find straight pieces. It has a density of around 46 pounds  per cubic foot,  comparable to maple. I live in cdntral Texaz and there's a ton of ilex vomitoria ("Yaupon Holly") out here, it likes to be near the untrodded creeks and tributaries with the limestone bedrock.