Black palm

[wood carver 2]

I can't believe my luck! Last spring at turkey camp, I must have mentioned that I would like to try a black palm bow one day. Well, to make a long story short, two big slats of palm wood travelled from Ecuador to New York State, then to me here in Ontario.
Needless to say, I've been blessed with some good friends.
I want to do these slats justice so I'm going to research palm wood bows before touching them.
The slats are just under 2" wide. One of them is about 1/2" thick and the other is about 1" thick and they are both over 6 1/2 feet long.
I'm not sure of how to use them. A self bow, a bamboo backed bow, a tri-lam?
I'd be grateful for any info on the subject.
Dave.      

[John Scifres]

It is the densest, tension strongest "wood" I have ever worked.  I made a really narrow, bend through the handle longbow.  It's cool but not one I have shot a lot.  I'm not sure I'd make a bamboo backed bow from it.  The piece I worked was really strong in tension but followed the string more than I would think.  I modelled mine after one I saw in a book, maybe TBB1 showing a native with a black palm bow.  Ir was cool.

[KellyG]

Well john what if it was used as a backing for Osage? That might make a very interesting bow Dave. What ever you do let us follow along.

[wood carver 2]

Will do Kelly. I think I need to study up on this one, so I won't be starting right away. I don't want to rush in and waste any of it.
Black palm over osage sounds really nice.
John, you're not kidding about it being dense. The two slats together weigh at least 10#. Probably more.

[bigbob2]

Somewhere on here is a few shots of a red palm bow I made recently. Red palm in the riser and belly veneers. It would be similar to black palm, being very dense and quite stunning under glass. It is also very strong and made a sweet shooting, quiet great looking bow.

[The Gopher]

I am looking at using palm for a (non-bow) project and have read that it should be stabalized since over time the little "straws" that make up the "grain" can separate. I read that with a bit if a slanted eye since i also recall the palm bow that John mentioned. It also said when it's not stabalized the surface can be fuzzy and splintery. I've never worked with palm so i don't know what to think.

[wood carver 2]

I remember drooling as I looked at the pictures of your bow bigbob.    :D   I'm thinking of saving some for the day I start building with glass.
I showed it to my neighbor, who's from Ecuador and right away he knew what it was. He said the native people make their bows from it and it's also used as pilings, driven into the mud to support houses.
I've also heard that it performs better as a bow in drier climes than in it's native land.
Dave.

[John Scifres]

Black palm is weird.  It does have straws of sorts and I can see what they are talking about re stabilizing.  Mine has not had any problems that I know of but it has been years since I shot it.  Maybe I'll get it out in a little bit and see how it's doing.

[bigbob2]

Re the fibrous nature, I found its better sanded in one direction . It did seem a bit brittle when I cut the belly veneers but the end result certainly justifies the work. It shoots very well. Also treated it a bit like Wenge, that is I coated surface with CA glue. So really I think not much 'extra' work for a potentially great bow. Our climate where I live is sub tropical, so gets very humid, and the natives of Papua/ Nuigini are in a tropical area and practically all their bows are black palm.Guess they would still perform ok in that environment

[Horn Chaser]

I finished my hunting bow for this year about a month ago and I used Black Palm as my riser wood. I worked my bow like Bigbob did and never had any problem working it.

It's not anything like what you are going to build but Black Palm sure does make a pretty bow to me. Here is how mine turned out. Good luck on yours and can't wait to see how it turns out for you.
 

[wood carver 2]

I guess that a coat of super glue would act somewhat like a stabilizer, at least for the outermost bit.
Hornchaser, that sure is nice. You're making me want to jump in and start something right away! Luckily, I'm still busy with a few projects for a taxidermist friend, so a bow will have to wait a little. That will give me time to study up on palm bows and decide on what to build.
Dave.

[Sal]

I think the natives in South America make those palm bows inside out, with the outside as the belly.  All the ones I've seen are pretty solid, they've worked all the pithier stuff out and used only the hardest densest outside.  They were very careful in polishing the back smooth.

[wood carver 2]

Good to know Sal. The more knowledge I gain, the closer I get to being able to start building.
     
Dave.