Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Grunt on October 07, 2010, 09:57:31 pm
-
I was dragging out some old black locust logs today to cut up for firewood. The logs have been outside in a pile for a good fifteen years. There was one good straight one 12 feet long and twelve inches in diameter. The outer three inches is shot but down in the log there is some nice fat latewood rings. I split the straight one into quarters and the quarters into eighths. Anyone have any experience using black locust that has been stored outside and cut this long?
-
I made a decrowned flat bow from a bl fence post,,,bow is long gone out of state, as long as there are no bugs go for it!!!! as chaseable ring on locust is hard to come by ,,, for me at least go for it , it's my favorite,,,next to hickory. JEFFW
-
id be willing to try one out and let you know!
-
As long as the borers didn't get into it, and you are using the heart wood, I would give it a go. Good luck.
-
I made a bow from a fence post that the barbed wire had rusted off. It had been in the ground for probably 50 years or more. It made a pretty good bow as I remember. If the wood looks sound it probably is.
-
Ok guys, I will start chasing one of those nice fat latewood rings. If I get a bow I'll post it here.
Thanks for the replys.
-
I really like black locust, with provisions. I have not had good luck with higher draw weights, and of all the woods I have followed one ring to get at the heart, (osage, mulberry, elm) BL is the absolute worst. The ealry and late wood layers can't be trusted to seperate nicely. I have pulled up fibers of latewood underneath the earlywood I was carving through, so go slowly. But BL does respond well to heat treating I have found, and I have a couple of very nice Cherokee style longbows around 45# that I shoot.