Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: paganwannbe on August 28, 2010, 12:27:36 pm
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I know that this might not help me out but i have to ask because i don't know what the best woods are for bow building are and my father asking about so he can have a bow.I have hear yew and Osage or some of the best bow woods it mostly depends on the person but what I'm asking is what is your top 5 favorite bow woods thanks you for answering me
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Where do you live? That will help us determine what woods grow near you. Any wood will make a bow if you design the bow considering the wood's properties...ie. tinsel and compression strengths.
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heres a page i found awhile back that lists diferent woods properties and a few notes on their use in making bows, hope it helps.http://www.briskybows.com/choosingwoods.htm
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Virginia beach Virginia north east part near mt trashmore
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I'd say you have red oak, white oak, hickory, hard maple, Eastern Red Cedar, locust and maybe some osage. Other woods would be cherry, black walnut, birch, ash, beech and probably lots of other suitable woods. Do a little research to see what you have growing locally. Your local Forestry Service, Cooperative Extension service, local loggers, tree services and landscapers can also be a source for information and possibly wood too.
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i cant help,but your close to both my sons
there stationed in Norfolk
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My top 5:
osage, osage, osage, osage, Hophornbeam
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My top 5:
osage, osage, osage, osage, Hophornbeam
Yeah, but have you considered osage?
Del
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Vine maple
Osage
HHB
Locust
Elm
The order kind of depends on which wood I'm currently making a bow out of. That one tends to be my favorite. ;D
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The order kind of depends on which wood I'm currently making a bow out of. That one tends to be my favorite. can't say i blame you for that and thanks
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:o What? No hickory in these lists?! Shame, shame... ;)
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i personally like
hhb
hickory
osage
ipe
hickory
these are my favs,but also the only woods i have used so far
i do have other woods saved that may become one of the top five once i try them,like mulberry and yew and locust
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Prof, I will have to send you to the principal's office for not completely reading my list of bow woods! ;D
Hickory will always be on my list of top 5 bow woods! ;)
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I think I might have a mulberry tree just outside my backyard wonder for how much longer >:D
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Osage outlaw also lists:
Hedgeapple
Maclura pomifera
bois d'arc
bow dark
horse apple
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Osage
Hickory
Ash
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Sorry for my preference for osage. ;D I am blessed to be surrounded by it, so I might be a little influenced by that. HHB just might move up to #3 on my list depending on how the bow I am working on shoots!
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You guys are very lucky. I live in a bow wood desert, and I have to import (or purchase as boards) all my wood. :'( I found the Trad Bowyers Bibles (Vol 1 & 4) very helpful for me in developing a useable bow wood list.
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Juniper
Ipe
Osage/Mulberry
Hickory was one of my favorites but I think I'm going to start making arrows from all those hickory staves I've got laying around. Hickory makes GREAT arrows.
I didn't like osage all that much until I got some stuff from Yazoo...wow, what a difference good quality osage makes.
I'm also liking red oak quite a bit because of it's availability...and I don't have to wait until it's dry. ;D
Ipe is great stuff and I love working with it. The dust doesn't bother me and I actually like the smell of the wood. I think the quality is going downhill though. I'm glad I bought a bunch of it several years ago when it was cheap and very straight grained.
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Black Locust
Osage (I know, I'm unique)
Hickory
Cherry
White Ash
These are all woods I have tried and have successfully made good shooting bows out of at least once. The order is not necessarily my order of preference.
CP
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Not necessarily a top five list, but here are some of my favorite woods I have used that I consider to be excellent quality bow wood well worth cutting/buying any time you can: osage, mulberry, black locust, elm, hop hornbeam, hickory, dogwood, white ash, ipe. I have the oily heartwoods like osage, mulberry and locust at the top of my list because they perform better here in fogland where the humidity is constantly high. There are many other woods that will make a good bow, but any of the above are good proven woods that are relatively easy to get in the southeast.
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I had the same question an hour ago. This is a very useful link :
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/47641/List-of-Potenial-Bow-Wood-Species-With-Comments#.UbzEu_msiSp
BG
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Virginia beach Virginia north east part near mt trashmore
In Virginia it should not be hard to find some nice hickory or hophornbeam Virginia is full of good bow woods
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Its funny a lot of folks that favor a particular wood have that species growing in their back yard. Take Osage for instance we bowyers on the west coast do not have that one on our list, she don't grow Here..!
HAving said that I don't know what its like to work with.
But from what I understand Osage is king,. In the future I'll have to get me a stave or 2 and work on the superman of bow woods....... ;D ;D ;D In closing I will never say what is best when I personally have many species to try out.
P.S. Rosewood here is $48.00 a BF...... :o :o :o :o
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yew
chuck
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In Virginia your best bet would be hickory.
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Heh, the original post was years ago. I don't think that guy is on here anymore. Someone resurrected a long dead thread.