Favorite wood

[Kegan]

I tried looking for an older post asking about it, but couldn't find one. So I figured I'd just ask myself- what's everyone's favorite bow wood (and why?).

Seems that, when all is said and done, I like red and white oak. we have a fair amout of it, it dries quickly, works easily and makes a bvery nice, hard hitting bow.

Anyone else?

[Eric Garza]

I like osage when I can get a good stave cheap.  I also like black locust because it makes a mean bow and is available locally for the cost of a little time and sweat. 

Ash makes fast shooting bows but takes a bit of set.  Hickory is durable but not as snappy (a problem for me as I often make short bows).  It's also tough to keep hickory dry.  I've found red oak to work reasonably well, although I have to say I've never built a bow from it without backing it, so I can't say how much of that performance is due to the red oak and how much was due to the sinew backing. 

I'd say osage and black locust would tie for my favorite, overall.

-Eric

[Justin Snyder]

The kind without grain runout. 
If you are in to a mind splitting head ache try this and then an advil.  Or the other way around.  http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,4916.0.html    Justin

[cowboy]

I don't have an official favorite at the moment - I wanna try em all . Have made some out of White oak, Hick, Ash, and osage - really liked the ash and have been hording all the osage I can. With my limited knowledge I think it really is better .

[tom sawyer]

Hedge, because its yellow.

[Slivershooter]

Bodark, because it turns darker with time, and I just love the patina of a ten year old Osage bow. 

[ahawi stick]

  I have made bows from black locust, white oak, elm, hickory,black walnut, and last but not least osage. All of the different species of wood that I listed have made good serviceable bows, however; for performance, durability, character and overall quality,osage is by far my personal favorite.

[Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive]

osage here too. hard to beat a bois de arc recurve.  elm is next though. i dont have as much luck recurving it as i have seen others do. a lor of mine pulls out, but i imagine its due to the humid FL climate.
persimmion ranks pretty high too, more for asthetics than anything. i think i have 13 different woods so far. but osage is still #1.- Ryan

[Hickoryswitch]

I personally like hickory And dogwood. They seem to be very forgiving for a beginner. But thats from a very limited exposure to diff. woods as far as for bows. I also like ash. 

[JackCrafty]

Favorites (in order):
1. Red Mulberry.  It's like ash on steroids and smells fantastic when heat treating.  The yellow color is great too.  Working with mulberry always brings me to my "happy place".
2. Osage, Elm
3. Juniper
4. Ash, Hickory
5. Hophornbeam, Ipe

[P.W. Smith]

My favorites are either Pacific yew...or IPE...both of which are readily available to me, what with a hardware store and a yew grove nearby. I have to say that I've never used osage before, what with me living in the PNW, and unable to get some locally...(and the shipping rates from the midwest are absolutely prohibitive too...) ...anyhow, it just depends what type of bow I'm trying to make...
Derek

[Hillbilly]

I've made bows from osage, white ash, hickory, elm, red mulberry, black locust, hop hornbeam, maple, black walnut, probably a couple more. I'm also working on persimmon, cedar, and dogwood at the moment. I like them all, and they'll all make good bows. I do think that osage and locust have a bit of an edge here in the land of constant humidity just because they're oily as hell and don't soak up as much moisture.

[Okie]

I'd have to say Osage. Even being the novice I am, I love a challenge and all the Osage I can find around here is a challenge. I also love the color when it ages.

John

[adb]

Osage, yew, hickory & maple... in that order. I've tried plenty of others, but we're talkin' favs.

[richpierce]

I'm just getting started and have only made 7 bows (2 osage, 3 black locust, one ash, one hickory).  I think black locust is my favorite because it seems near impossible to have it fail on the back.   I made one quicky hatchet "D" bow from a seasoned BL limb and it has all kinds of grain violations and still draws 28" from a 60" bow with no problems.  Locally I find better BL staves than osage, which normally has a lot of twists and "character".  My best bet locally with osage is a short bow because usually I can find a stave with about 54-60" of nice grain.  My one ash bow took a set despite being long and does not shoot as hard as it should.  My new hickory bow seems to be a hum-dinger and I look forward to making more hickory bows.  I really want to try dogwood and hornbeam.