Black Locust war bow???

[african man]

I am wanting to make a war bow  70-80# @ 32"
I have a nice stave of black locust and am wondering if it will work as an English war bow, if so what are the rough dimensions. Could I also change the design slightly to accommodate the wood, lenticular or flatter cross section instead of D shaped ?
Thanks
Chris
     

[akila]

Hi...i dont have verry much experience with warr bow....but i  now that black locust its weack in compresion,. so i think that an Elb  design its not the best design for this type of wood....but maybe im wrong...so  you should see whatt others have to say aboute this///

[kiwijim]

there was a post on paleoplanet a while ago. A big bad Bl warbow drawing around 100lb, and no frets!

[african man]

Thanks guys
have started one will see how it goes

Chris

[african man]

Just finished it the other day seems to work
Just made it a bit more flatter than a traditional D section
Chris

[Sparrow]

 Is that bow still alive and how's it shoot ?  Frank

[Tom_Brone]

If african man allows it I will answer in his place.

The bow is still alive, 84#@30".

Black Locust can definitely make a warbow.

Tom

[african man]

Thanks Tom (how's your new Ebay stave doing)

Yes my bow is doing well, I think due to the fact that I gave her a flat belly. I'm going to make two more war bows out of B.L, one will be a full D limb and one will be half way between a D limb and what I made now, I will then know what B.L can take

The spec :- 76" ntn  1 1/2" at handle tapering to 1/2" at tips   started with 2 1/4" reflex, now + - 1/2" reflex

[david w.]

suberb bow! very nice tiller

[akila]

HI....verry nice bow and nice tiller.....this is the proof that you have to try it for your self first ,and see what happens....im verry curiose what will happent  with a true D section....aniway  you  did a gr8 job,

[majsnuff]

My hat is off to you sir. Both Locust bows I  tried to build have failed. I still have 2 or 3 staves, and with your success I will try again.
You have done a very nice job there. Congratulations.

[african man]

Thanks majsnuff
I think some of the success was due to the flattened belly and also I think something to do with where the tree grew??? I have heard said that the growing conditions play a part in how the wood will react
Still busy with the other two bows, slowly, as I have an Ash war bow and a few others on the go at the moment
GOOD LUCK
Xris

[Bowbound]

That bow looks nice, Do you know if cherry is good warbow stuff, i have some and all i know is it is good in compression but not so good in tension.

[markinengland]

Africa Man,
What poundage did it end up?
Did you chase a growth ring or leave the sapwood on?
Nice tiller.
Mark in England

[african man]

Bowbound - I think cherry will work maybe flatten the belly a bit and back it with hicory or raw hide
Mark - landed up at just over 80#, I didn't leave any sap wood on but went down about three layers into the hart wood as it was a nice thick ring. I have found that if you leave sapwood on it seems to make the bow a bit sluggish

Xris