Anybody use locust?

[Trenton G.]

Hey guys. So after making a few laminated bows I want to give selfbows a try. I was given a half of a log about 5 years ago from a bowyer and he told me that it was locust. For those of you that have used locust, is there anything special I need to take into consideration? I have a friend in town who makes selfbows so between him and you guys I'm hoping to learn as much as I can. Any help is greatly appreciated!

[mwosborn]

Do you know what kind of locust?  Many guys use black locust with very good results, I have never tried it.

I did cut some honey locust one year.  It warped so badly that I ended up burning it in the stove.

[Trenton G.]

He didn't say. After looking online though and comparing the bark, I'm pretty sure that it's black locust.

[Pat B]

Black locust will make a very good bow. It is tough like osage but if your tillering isn't perfect it can fret(compression fractures). Make the bow longer and a little wider and that will serve you well. Black locust takes belly tempering well and it can help with the fretting.

[Trenton G.]

Thanks Pat. I'll make it as long as I can. It looks like the most I can get is 66 inches.

[Pat B]

Well make it 2" wide if you can. Keeping most of the working limb wide will help reduce the stresses.

[yard dog]

Jawge is your black locust expert.... he sent me my first bl locust stave and that bow is still shooting 17 years later...

[Trenton G.]

Good to know. The weird thing is I saw another topic on here today about hickory that looked much more similar to my stave than the images of locust bark I found on the internet. The guy who gave it to me said locust, but it doesn't look like it as much. Now I have more investigating to do lol

[Pat B]

Black locust has a kind of cat piss smell to it. Not strong but sill there.The heartwood is a greenish color and a light cream colored sapwood. Hickory wood is mostly sapwood and quite white with a brownish heartwood if any at all.

[frank bullitt]

Cat piss, hmm, never noticed that!

Love black locust! Have a lot on my property, and cut many, too!

Mature trees have a thick, furrowed bark.
Young growth, saplings, are smooth, with rose type, thorns.

Can you post a pic?

[Zradix]

if you have a blacklight shine it on the wood in a dark room.
Locust species (not just the black) will shine a pretty bright yellow-green color.

[yard dog]

My girlfriend's property is loaded with them !!! Might hafta use my best sweet-talk....  

[Bvas]

Originally posted by Zradix:
if you have a blacklight shine it on the wood in a dark room.
Locust species (not just the black) will shine a pretty bright yellow-green color.

Just tested this. And yes it does!!! Feel like a CSI person.  I can tell every place I was sitting to sand on my locust riser block. There are patches of glowing yellow dust.

[Zradix]

lol..cool!

[Trenton G.]

I haven't noticed any smell yet, but I haven't really payed attention. I'll try and get some pics up once I'm back from Kalamazoo.