Lemonwood stave...

[AKmud]

What is a fair price to pay for a Lemon wood stave?  My wood supplier up here threw a couple in on his last major wood order.  He is wanting $176 each which seems a little steep for me.  Is this the going rate?

[Dave Bowers]

I don't know what the going price is, but I've heard that lemonwood is hard to come by. So that may be why your suppliers price seems high?

[bigcountry]

I never even found a supplier for cuban lemeonwood

[Diamondback59]

it s a rip  off the truth be told id spend that on yew or osage anyday befor lemon wood   brock

[Silent Bear]

waste of money

[GREG IN MALAD]

Check with Gilmer Woods, they have them listed for about $100. Personally I wouldn't spend the money for one, $176 will buy a bunch of Ipe. You could also use Yellowheart, it works quite well.

[AKmud]

Thanks guys, I figured it was high, but we don't see many worthy staves up here in AK...  I'll stick with the laminates I guess.  

[shamus]

lemownood for sale is usually the south american variety. Cuban lemonwood can't be purchased due to the silly embargo we have with them.

It's only worth what you are willing to pay for it. Having worked with lemonwood, I can say it's no better than red mulberry. It's a nice looking wood though, especially with a walnut riser.

[bigcountry]

But I don't think any of us build selfbows because they are worth it.  At least I don't.  Yew is high priced but some want to build a yew bow.   Even though an osage bow might perform better.

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Get yourself a good Osage stave and spend way less, more bang for your buck, and no better self bow wood in my opinion.......at least that's what I hear anyway.  

[Pat B]

I'd be hard pressed to pay $176 for any stave. Lemonwood(digame) became popular in the 30's and 40's as bow wood because of the homogenious nature of the wood and it could be sawn into bow staves with little worry about the almost nonexistant grain. I have never worked it so I don't know for certain. I have a stave that James Parker gave me last year that he said was very old. I haven't done anything with it yet so I can't comment of how it works.