Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Grunt on March 25, 2009, 09:10:58 am

Title: Hickory heart wood
Post by: Grunt on March 25, 2009, 09:10:58 am

I have a question for some of you guys. I got ahold of some 4/4 kiln dried hickory. The boards have a lot of heartwood. Is hickory heart wood bow wood?
Grunt

Title: Re: Hickory heart wood
Post by: madcrow on March 25, 2009, 09:14:47 am

Hickory period is bow wood. 

Title: Re: Hickory heart wood
Post by: Pat B on March 25, 2009, 10:10:40 am

Hickory heartwood is more brittle than the sapwood but it will make a good bow. Maybe not as good as a backing but fine for belly wood.

Title: Re: Hickory heart wood
Post by: comix on March 25, 2009, 11:28:49 am

had good results with boo as backing

Title: Re: Hickory heart wood
Post by: DustinDees on March 25, 2009, 01:19:36 pm

my last bow made is a 90lb lb hickory quartersawn with 1/3 sapwood and 2/3 heartwood tip to tip running through the board. great stuff hickory is indeed  ;D

Title: Re: Hickory heart wood
Post by: Ryano on March 25, 2009, 04:59:23 pm

I beg to differ with you Pat. Most of the hickory backed bows I have made the backing strips are made out of edge grain heart wood and I have seen no problems with it. I'm completing one right now that's half heart wood and half sapwood on the backing strip. ;)

Title: Re: Hickory heart wood
Post by: Grunt on March 25, 2009, 06:41:13 pm

Thanks for the replies. Hickory is tough stuff. I will be crafting some linen canvas and hickory strip backed bows out of the heartwood that I have. I have one sweet 5" board that will give me two bows with sapwood for the back and heartwood for the belly, nice straight grain plain sawn.