Kingwood & Snakewood

[oberon]

Rowing through wood choices for a new bow order.
  Two of my favorites are Kingwood and Snakewood.
 Would be great to see any photos of risers with either of these woods.
 Thanx,
 Oberon

[snag]

Oberon, are you going to make a bow or order one?  Here is a couple of pics from one of Oregon's best bowyers...heck one of the world's best! This is a couple of Norm's "Snakebit" bows.

 

 

[oberon]

Going to order a new bow.  Plenty good with my hands , run an artist blacksmith shop in Oregon but for now think I will let someone better than me build my next bow, tho at some point think that I will try my hand a bow building.
 A Caribow peregrine is one of the top choices at this point along with a Matlock, or one from Bill VanBuskirk. I hear that Matlock is building again and VanBuskirk was started out by Matlock and is using matlock's x3 predator limb design.
 Oberon

[A.S.]

Here is my Morrison riser is Macassar Ebony with Kingwood flare. Hope this helps

 

[The Whittler]

How heavy is snakewood compared to other riser woods, like coco-bolo, osage, ebony etc.

[Lost Arra]

Where did you get ordering info for Bill Matlock or Bill Van Buskirk? I have tried emailing Van Buskirk.

[oberon]

Bill VanBuskirk is not a computer guy.  You can pm me and I look up the contact info , that being a phone # for Bill Matlock an Bill VanBuskirk.
 Neither have a website now.  VanBuskirk is a part time bowyer , but his stuff looks very nice.
 Oberon

[oberon]

Whittler,
 If I remember correctly Snakewood is very dense like 70 to 80 pounds per cubic foot and VERY pricey, but way cool to look at.  Kingwood is almost as heavy and dense. It is also spendy but not near the $$$ of Snakewood.
 Oberon

[JL]

Got me a couple of Norm's bows, one being a Snakebit. Great bow! I was told, Snakewood has been banned for importation (rain forest issue thing) and the wood that is available is sold by the ounce....

Good Gaboon ebony ain't cheap either.

JL

[oberon]

Not sure  that it is no longer imported Jl.  A fair amount seems to be available. Still seems to be sold by the board foot , tho They do give the weight of the pieces that I looked at and if you wish to price it by the pound it is around $30 bucks per pound.  Think that the cubic foot weight is around 75-80 per Cu ft,so that runs out to around $2400 per cubic foot. I think that in any case I would call it a spendy piece of wood, but once again very cool stuff.
 Oberon

[JL]

Thanks for the info. I'll have to look into it when I get a chance.

I was talking to a fella that makes custom cues and he is the one who informed me that it had been banned and whatever is out there is it. I know some select old growth woods are in demand by guitar builders for their tonal qualities. In fact, Taylor customs has their own growing facilities to secure their own quality wood supply.


JL