Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: bow101 on March 24, 2013, 10:48:48 pm
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Cut some Bitter cherry today across the street, convenient as "smuck", Very similiar to choke cherry but tree grows much larger. Anyone makes bows from it..?
Thx.....101 0ver and out..!
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I tried to make a bow with cherry but it broke when I was cutting it. I read somewhere on here that cherry has like a .50 to weight and strength ratio. Or something like that, so Im guessing from what I read its decent or maybe almost good? Im not sure though because Im a noobie bow maker too.
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I tried to make a bow with cherry but it broke when I was cutting it. I read somewhere on here that cherry has like a .50 to weight and strength ratio. Or something like that, so Im guessing from what I read its decent or maybe almost good? Im not sure though because Im a noobie bow maker too.
Depends on the type. I know the stuff I buy at the lumber store is softer than puffs..!
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I've made 2 choke cherry bows a Time back both backed. One sinew 62" 57# @26" and one raw hide 64" 50# @ 28". The sinewed I gave to a friend the raw hide I sold. Both were ok they never came back.
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Bitter cherry is brittle cherry, BUT made in a prymid style bow about 67-70 long you can get a shooter. I would back it with something light.... paper, clothe...ect.
VMB
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Cherry can make a sweet bow, but you have to treat it right. My favorite bow is cherry and its seen a lot of arrows through it. Cherry should really have a backing though.
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Cherry is the bomb....literally!!! ;D
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Eastern cherry is very different than western bitter cherry.
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I've made three wild cherry bows. Two blew up right away, and the other one I made for my grandson; 10# at 13" and I backed that one in rawhide! It still shoots fine! It's probably just me but I just can't make a decent bow out of the stuff! It's also true what Vinemaplebows says, the eastern stuff is probably lots different the what we have out West. Anyway, I decided long ago that we have so much good wood here in Washington State that I can avoid the frustration by using something else. Dale
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you live in washington too?! its true we do have a bunch of amazing bow wood! elm, VM, Black Locust, yew, dogwood, casscara, oceanspray, plumb ::) , ect
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I probably won't build a bow from cherry from what I read. :o ::)
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Now I don't know what exactly bitter cherry looks like, but if its anything like the cherry I know then its pretty wood. I just can't bring myself not to do something with a pretty stave.
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Now I don't know what exactly bitter cherry looks like, but if its anything like the cherry I know then its pretty wood. I just can't bring myself not to do something with a pretty stave.
use it for a core lam in a lam bow.
that way it does not do much. another one- make back and belly lams from bamboo and put a cherry spacer in the middle. pretty dang powerful bows can be made that way.
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Now I don't know what exactly bitter cherry looks like, but if its anything like the cherry I know then its pretty wood. I just can't bring myself not to do something with a pretty stave.
use it for a core lam in a lam bow.
that way it does not do much. another one- make back and belly lams from bamboo and put a cherry spacer in the middle. pretty dang powerful bows can be made that way.
Agree, and a good use for the wood!