Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Hunter Van Winkle on September 07, 2012, 01:48:07 am

Title: Anyone ever make a bow out of honey locust?
Post by: Hunter Van Winkle on September 07, 2012, 01:48:07 am

My grandma has a honey locust in her front yard. It seems kind of brittle and rather twisty, but I was curious if anyone has had luck making a good bow from honey locust?

Title: Re: Anyone ever make a bow out of honey locust?
Post by: Pappy on September 07, 2012, 06:38:59 am

I have made a couple years ago,they were ok, took a lot of wood to make the weight,I used the sap wood on the ones I done. :)
   Pappy

Title: Re: Anyone ever make a bow out of honey locust?
Post by: DarkSoul on September 07, 2012, 06:56:49 am

The search function of this site works remarkably well for keywords such as "honey" (the keyword "locust" will give you too many "black locust" hits).

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,6024.0.html
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,6666.0.html
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,2558.0.html
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,3871.0.html
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/reply/416954/locust-flatbow-50-28#reply-416954
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/47954
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/46958
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/46950
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/40969
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/35452
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/27756
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/23165
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/20420
http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/13854

That ought to keep you reading, right? ;)

Title: Re: Anyone ever make a bow out of honey locust?
Post by: Hunter Van Winkle on September 07, 2012, 10:49:12 am

Thanks DarkSoul, now I feel like an idiot.  ;)

Maybe I was just lonely and wanted to chat.

Title: Re: Anyone ever make a bow out of honey locust?
Post by: rossfactor on September 07, 2012, 01:39:37 pm

Yep, I have.  I think this is one of the links you got already. 

Its beautiful wood, tends to fret.  The stuff I worked was dense, and didn't take a lot of wood to make weight. I like the heartwood sapwood contrast.  Watch out for the thorns (OUCH!).

Gabe

http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/35452

Title: Re: Anyone ever make a bow out of honey locust?
Post by: H Rhodes on September 07, 2012, 10:06:02 pm

I posted one last spring....  I had to overbuild it some and ended up backing it with linen, but honey locust will make a bow if you are careful with it.  It seemed pretty brittle to me, but the wood is beautiful.