Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: DV IN MN on October 13, 2015, 06:16:26 pm
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How does Black Locust compare to Osage? Never made a bow with it, I will assume that you follow a growth ring just line Osage. I have some that has a growth ring of approx. 1/8 or a little more wide.
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it makes a great bow,, some suggest going a bit wider or longer than osage,, tiller has to be right on or it will fret,, yes follow growth ring,, :)
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I cut my bow making teeth on it. As usual, Brad has it absolutely correct. Jawge
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Good bow wood, very snappy and very beautiful when it's all done up.
It's for sure not Osage though
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it is my favorite bow wood. i like osage a lot. not a lot of it around here. but locust, bunches of it. so i like it. Tony
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From what I read if one had their druthers just stick with Osage if both are readily available. I have access to plenty of both. Just the Black Locus is located where extraction from the woods would be a whole lot less sweat and blood.
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Great stuff if you can tiller without any frets. Personally I like it as as much as osage with the exception of the fretting issues, but when it works out at good tiller and without fretting it is gonna be a snappy bow.
Give it a shot and if the first couple don't work for you don't give up on it because when you do get a good bow from it you'll find it was worth the effort to learn the wood.
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Its modulus of elasticity to specific gravity ratio is higher than osage's meaning it's stiffer per mass and will pull more weight with less wood but it frets easily, its belly is overpowered by by the strength of the back when chased to a clean ring. Keeping locust wider will make frets easier to avoid but I've made several 1" wide bows that still shoot great, the trick is in tillering it perfectly (it'll let you know if you fall short).
I like osage, it's easier to make into better designs, but I'd give up all the yellow wood in the world if I had to to keep my locust ;) >:D
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Black locust makes my top five list and comes in about 3 or 4th favorite bow wood. Its amazing bend resistance makes it a very fast returning wood that zings an arrow. If i didnt have osage it wood prob be my most used wood. It will teach you how to tiller and tell you if you made a mistake tillering or design wise,or both.