Self Bow Woods?

[darren1968]

Hi can anyone enlighten me? I`m looking to make a flat bow, can i use Beech?

[Pat B]

Yes, you can use beech. I have not used it but I know others that have. You may also have hazel nut, choke cherry or pin cherry, oak or rowan.   Pat

[john fletch]

For workability it is hard to beat Hickory, especially if this is your first bow. White Ash is also easy to work, but will string follow worse I believe.

Most of the self bows I make for 'Mountain Man' Rendezvous are Hickory.  I do like Osage or Pacific Yew better, but they are much harder to work and overall more expensive.

I just got some black locust from some friends back east and eager to try that.  Seems like good wood.  It was used extensively by American Natives.

I have not considered Beech.  I have heard about it but not tried yet.

Has anyone here mae Beech bows?
How the the cost vs. quality compare to Hickory?

[Dave2old]

I've not tried beech, though I have tried oak, juniper (aka cedar), hickory, chokecherry, and several more. In my experience I can highly recommend three: osage, osage, and osage.

[gordonf]

Almost any fruit or nut bearing tree will make a decent self-bow. Some of my favorite woods are hazelnut, apple, plum, and serviceberry.

[Pat B]

Guys, Darren is from Romania and I guess is limited to woods that grow there or at least that part of Europe.
  Darren, give beech a try. Make it wide(2") at the fades and out the limb half way then taper it to 1/2" tips. For 28" draw make it at least 66" long.
 What other woods do you have available?  Pat

[Bjorn]

You may get a good response in the 'bowyer's bench' section.
In the meantime, I am sure you have Bay trees in Romania? Bay is a pretty good bow wood. Leave it crowned and flatten the belly.

[vermonster13]

They have Yew in Romania, wouldn't that work?

[Ted Fry]

Really Darren , one of the fun things about building selfbows is experimenting with different woods , make some shavings and find out

[john fletch]

Darren - sorry I did not read your profile.  Have fun and good luck with European woods.  Let us know what you find out.

Is Beech a common tree there?

Is Mediterranean Yew available?

[KrEn]

European Oak, Ash, Hazel, Maple, Elm work well, birch moderately well (make it wider). I would make (and do so regularly) a bow out of any of these, flatbows are easiest but ELBs are possible with careful tillering and perfect wood, Elm and Hazel are better ELB woods. Often oak is easiest to get, given a choice i would go with maple, but teh differences btw. species are less than difference btw. individual trees.

Yew tends to be expensive or protected, Exotics, hickori and osage can be imported, as can bamboo.
German Dicks GmbH sells boo and various woods, as well as tools, but expensive.

K