anyone use sassafrass

[dorris]

hi does anyone know if sassafrass probably misspelled but sorry if it is . wanting to know if it is used for bow staves or lams in bows theres a bunch across the rooad and there fixing to cut them down and I thought saving them any input would be appreciated . Jeff

[Cinghiale]

Ciao Jeff,
yes Sassfrass ( Laburnum ) is well used for self bow in the Middle Ages using well seasoned bow staves.
It was used for hundreds years in Italy where yew was not so common.
Very strong and elastic wood, nice colorunder a oil finish.
You have to start from a generous size tree to get a reasonable stright.

Waiting for a pic of your next masterpiece.

Have a nice day

Armando

[ethan]

Sassafrass makes great laminations.  It looks a little like red elm under glass.  In my opinion it's one of the best woods to use for limb material.

[CheapShot]

My Treadway Longbow has Sassafrass lams. Real pretty under clear glass, my favorite bow to shoot.

[Flinttim]

Lams maybe, but don't waste your time for a selfbow. I've tried it several ways and it just is not worth the effort. I sent Jawge a stave years back and though he got a bow from it, I'm sure he would tell you it was not a great bow. Below average would  be my opinion. Now if you want a 30 # bow that's six feet long and has lots of follow, it would be your wood.

[Mike Byrge@home]

My experience with it mirrors Tim's.  

Maurice Thompson says it is good bow wood in the Witchery of Archery though...maybe the Sassafrass was different in the 1800's  

It does smell good.

[Jedimaster]

Makes pretty lam's.  I've also heard that it was a good performer in a glass bow and preferable to some other woods.  I know nothing personally of it's selfbow properties.

[Flinttim]

There is some speculation that the sass back in the old days could have been really old growth that was different than what we have today.In fairness I will say I never tried a D type bow with the stuff which would have been what the Thompsons were using.Maybe "Man"  tall or taller, with a high belly like yew...Maybe ! Now you guys got me thinking. It has been a sort of goal of mine to make a sass bow that was "Good". I've made one that was 48" with a lot of sinew too, but the best I could squeeze from it was about 30#.But then you have to ask the question, was it a sass bow or a sinew bow and the sass was along for the ride. LOL.I've got some gun barrel straight stuff over at the farm. Maybe I'd better cut some. Sure would like to think Maurice and Will were right.

[SlowBowinMO]

We had a Sassafras limbed bow come through here that so impressed me I'll be using it in my next limbs.  Good stuff!  These were lams under glass, not a self bow.

[whossbows]

has worked good for me also,,cheapshot that is what is in the ninja bow
#1.and also katelyns bow

[Tyler2045]

I would love some roots and leaves to make tea with or at least i think t is roots and leaves.

[ozarkcherrybow1]

I've had 2 failures at making selfbows from it. The first was a flat bow, with the limbs staying full width to mid limb, and the second was a english longbow, using the deminsions from the bowyers bible. The first split at the fades and the latter was lost to a knot at midlimb. I still believe a good selfbow can be made from it and have'nt thrown in the towel yet....Terry

[geno]

There was a guy who had some of his bows at the ubm last yr made with sas lams. Great shooter.              

Tyler. Roots for tea, leaves for gumbo  

[Diamondback59]

made one a while back  got 52 # @ 28 out of it  but i made mine a flat bow and limbs 2 wide at fades , flat belly , 3 courses sinew on that  working on another now  it s good wood but you relley need to beef it up  good luck

[CheapShot]

Hey, that's cool whossbows. My grandaughter's bow will match mine. can't wait to see it.

[whossbows]

well hers has black glass not clear  :(

[philil]

Hey, just read, that sassafras is considered to be highly cancerogene!
   :(

[Flinttim]

You have to read into those test results some. To equal what they gave the test rats, a human would have to drink something like a 55 gal barrel a day to get the same results. My family has a long history of drinking sassafras tea and there has never been a case of cancer. Go figure.

[Jedimaster]

Grilling meat causes cancer as well as many other "good" things.  I never heard that sassafras tea did but I'm not surprised.  I'd probably sweeten mine with saccharin to see if I could get the double whammy    
I got a tree in the backyard that survived Katrina and more recently a tornado that took out a bunch of trees around it.  Mine is limber as a noodle.