European wood for longbow

[Chris3kilo]

Yes all the species you mention grows here Frodolf. Yew is here too but only in gardens, the state cut them down because they are poisonous to horses. But my dad got 4 trees in his garden, they're just missing 1" thickness.
About elm disease, here in denmark we got NONE untamed wild nature without human interference. (Why I wanna move to sweden so bad!) All the forests are here for one purpose; building supply's. There is alot lumberjacks connected to the forests and they cut down elm trees with the sickness immediately. Saw a article about the last big elm tree being cut down. I think it was from 2012.

[RatherBinTheWoods]

I agree ash and elm would work but also sycamore is one that Steve Ralphs (the TVs and film bow and arrow man) uses to good effect too.

[Chris3kilo]

No luck with Sycamore yet. Tried to split some logs, but they twisted 90• but I'll keep looking.

I have another question but I don't think it deserves  a whole new post;

How thorough do I have to be when removing the underbark on staves, namely hazel? I'm really nervous about violating the back grains. Won't it fall off eventually by itself? 

[GlisGlis]

I cutted hazel sapling at summer end and debarked immediatly. They dried with no checking so I think it's a pretty forgiving wood.
It's a very good wood in my opinion tough it's pretty common to find twisted staves

[Chris3kilo]

Well thats curious, the straigthest staves I've got was from hazel. Maybe it's a geographics thing. Sorry but what is checking? Can't find any answers on google. 

[FilipT]

True, Chris, never actually found twisted hazel. All are elliptical in cross section (low crown, wide) and are suitable for both warbows and flatbows. On the other hand never saw good piece of ash or european hornbeam (just once, I used it for lever bow that is currently drying).

[Chris3kilo]

Can't comment on ash. Only got one stave. Really straight but full of knots. It'll be a caracter bow. How is hornbeam working out Stalker? We got alot of that here. Isn't it very similar to european beech?

[FilipT]

Description in lesser known warbow woods says that its like a hickory, but slightly less harder. Supposedly is also forgiving mistakes. European beech is not recommended as bow wood because of short fibers but I think it could be made into a bow if we follow the usual "keep the bow long and wide" rule.
Also, E. hornbeam is hardest wood I have ever worked with. It has wavy back, so its difficult to remove bark, I think I violated back several times, but nothing too serious I hope.
Also mine was full of hidden black hard as steel spots. When I finish the bow I don't think I will ever work with it again.

Here is link to the bow I am working on: http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,58345.msg807699.html#msg807699

[GlisGlis]

checking are cracks and fissures that occurs when wood dries too fast.
that's why you may want to seal the ends end the back of the wood you cut

[Chris3kilo]

That might explain why I had such big trouble reaching a High drawweight on beech. Also a nightmare to work with. Very hard stuff.
Got one to 40lbs 30" but it cracked in a clean line after some shots at the tip of the limbs. Might be rot though.
Thanks Glisglis