Ipe vs Osage? HBO/HBI/BBO/BBI

[Chris Grimbowyer]

Which core do you guys prefer for just a regular pyramid style bow with a perry reflex and maybe a reflex deflex design.

[vanillabear?]

[fujimo]

i have had great success with HBI 1" & 1/4 at fades out to 3/8" tips, with 2 - 3" glued in reflex, super light to carry- and really snappy- but then i love my osage character bows too.

[NTD]

I'm pretty much with Vanillabear on this one.

I like working osage better than Ipe but I like the end result from my BBI's the most.

[Walt Francis]

It is a toss up between the BBO and BBI for me.

[okie64]

Tough call. I really like the orange stuff myself.  

[PEARL DRUMS]

All of them.

[matts2]

What is IPE?

[fujimo]

brazilian walnut, a large tree favoured for its shade and sweet smelling flowers, and many are scattered randomly through farmlands,  used as a bow wood in the amazon.
favoured here for decking and flooring- you would find it here at most flooring lumber supply shops.
favoured, or at least recognised by the elite, and those of superior intellect as a fine bow making wood.

[ber643]

Ipe is a South Tropical wood from primarily Central South America and is highly touted as one of the best decking materials in the world. It also is a great bow wood. Different shades but tends towards a dark brown. I have one Bamboo Backed Ipe that I built and it is a sweetheart. Others will tell you much more about it's use as a bow wood. Some folks have reactions (skin, breathing, etc.) to it (the dust mostly) but it didn't bother me at all, even without a mask. I'd have to say Osage is my all-time fav but I like Ipe an awful lot too.

 

Here is a link for the build (2008) on mine (here), if you want a closer look-see:

   http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=125;t=000115#000000

[JamesV]

IPE

[Sal]

Since they're both really good, then consider the cost.  An osage core can get pricey.  Ipe is pretty cheap, the last board worked out at around $5.50 a core