BLACK CHERRY STAVES

[Dean Marlow]

Guys have a few Black Cherry staves. Can you make a  selfbow out of Black Cherry. Or should it have a backing. Dean

[horatio1226]

Hey Dean
The bowyers bible says that any fruit or nut tree will make a bow if the tree can produce a long, clear stave. Doesn't say wether it needs to be backed or not.
Brian  

[Eric Krewson]

I would back it. Jim Taylor makes a lot of hickory backed cherry bows.

[Eric Garza]

I've got a friend with a couple unbacked cherry bows.  They're long (68-75 inches), but seem to hold up well despite his less-than perfect tillering jobs.

That said, I tend to always back bows as an insurance policy, so i'd probably back them.  Either way I think they'll make good bows.

Say, you wouldn't be interested in trading one of the staves for some sinew would you?

-Eric

[BamBooBender]

I've recently inquired about BC on another site and it seems that BC makes a really sweet shooting bow, but is not real strong in tension and has a tendency for sudden failure. It was basically the same advice your getting here;
It can be done, but backing is a good idea for insurance.

[mmgrode]

Hey Dean,
   as has been said, cherry is better in compression than tension.  It makes a good backed bow especially with hickory if the backing is kept thin enough.  Cheers, Matt

[Dean Marlow]

Eric  sorry  for being late to answer you. I got plenty of sinew. But thanks anyway.  Dean

[ozarkcherrybow1]

Hmmmmm, Cherry for a selfbow! My last unbacked one made it through 2 hunting and 3-d seasons before it gave up the ghost. If your looking for one that will last, I think backing would be a good idea....Terry

[Dean Marlow]

Looks like backing Black Cherry is the what most people would do. And it sounds like Hickory is the backing of choice. Thanks guys for the info Dean

[Bob Barnes]

...and Dean has a nice supply of both hickory backing and first class black cherry staves...  
Have fun Dean...maybe someone here will want to try some of it too.
Bob

[sir_h_c]

Would bamboo be to much for the Cherry?  I just think it would look sweet...

[mmgrode]

Sir_h_c- I would think bamboo would be too much for cherry unless you could keep the bamboo ultra thin, but hey give it a try!  It would look pretty sweet. Cheers, Matt