Best Natural Materials for Making a Bow

[2fletch]

Most of us like to shoot a variety of bows, and I'm sure many of you also might ponder on what woods, or combinations of wood, work best.

I've shot hickory, lemonwood, bamboo, yew, hackberry, hop hornbeam, apple, gum, wild rose (kids bow), osage, dogwood, etc. If I were to rate them I would say that lemonwood was quick but brittle, bamboo is both lightweight and quick, osage is tough and quick, yew is surprisingly smooth, and hickory is good overall and plentiful.

Just wondered what woods you may have used and how you might rate them? Also, has anyone ever tried backing lemonwood with bamboo or hickory? That seems like a natural combination.

[frank bullitt]

Don, can't beat osage for overall shootin, and hunting. But I have bamboo backed bows, that are sweet!

I really like natives woods though. White ash may not be a speed demon, but if built right, is a smooth shooter. Blacklocust is another fine wood in my oppinion.

You pretty much hit it on the nail with most materials!

Good shootin, Steve

[Mudd]

I'm not sure if this fits into what you mean but the best of all the natural world would have to be a bamboo backed Osage. or any of the other bow woods already mentioned. Next would be a sinew backed Osage followed by the other bow woods, then last but not least is a rawhide backed bow of any of the bow woods except Osage because in my opinion unless you're putting bamboo or sinew on hedge it's a waste. One of the best backing for hedge is a thin layer of air. IMHO
 God bless,Mudd

[2treks]

Hey Don, Somebody had a boo backed lemonwood for sale on the bowmaking supply page.
   I agree with Frank,Your rating and judgment seem pretty good. I will always hold the osage dearest, but I have really started to like what hickory can do. very versitile bow wood.
   I like this thought provocing thread, it will be a good one to watch.

[Roy Steele]

I've built selfbows for 20 years.In that time I've built bows from just about everything I could find.But my favoret is hickory with osage second.

[sweeney3]

Hackberry.  Clean, straight, easy to work, very tough, light, reasonably durable, easily avaliable.  All round good wood.  It's one of those "not the best in any way, but very good in every way" type of woods.  

I have seen several beautiful examples of Eastern Red Ceadar, and want to make a few out f that, but haven't got around to it yet.  Sooner or later...

[2fletch]

Yes, I can't believe that I left out black locust and ash. I have made bow of both of these. I especially enjoyed the locust.

[Jesse Peltan]

For natural materials horn, bamboo, and sinew. It's what the Asiatic composites were made of. If your going for only woods then yew, osage, hickory, etc.

[Pat B]

Osage is my favorite with hickory, hop hornbeam, yew and mulberry close behind. In the past 25 years I have tried many different woods for self bows. Some successful, some not.

[2fletch]

Pat B, and anyone else, what woods have you had the least success with? With me I guess it would be ash and then hop hornbeam.

[Pat B]

Locust is my biggest nemesis then ash after that. I'm sure it is me pushing the wood too hard or too quickly though. That is why I love osage. It can take my abuse and still be a viable hunting weapon. d;^)

[ranger 3]

I am wondering why Roy doesn't like rawhide backed Osage?

[michaelschwister]

I have used osage, black locust, pignut hickory, , shagbark hickory, pecan, ash, dogwood, mulberry, cherry, ironwood, oak, and lilac as well as bamboo backed and hickory backed bows of several types. Bamboo backed osage is the fastest, even faster than fiberglass lam bows, but can lift a splinter or crush a belly quite easily.  Pignit is tough and with a pyrimid design is a fine shooter, but looses cast and picks up weight easily when wet (which can happen even in a humid area for a few days). For speed AND durability osage is in a class by itself. IMHO the simple osage self bow is the finest natural material hunting bow, by a large margin. It is unaffected at 98 and humid or 20 below. Driving rain or falling off the roof of your truck strung at 55 mph -osage can take a licking and keep on like nothing has changed.

[Mudd]

"I am wondering why Roy doesn't like rawhide backed Osage?"-
 If I have to put something on the back of Osage it's usually for one of two reason. I wanted to increase the performance of the bow or I had a back integrity issue. If I added sinew it almost always increased the bows' performance whereas if I added rawhide I had resolved the integrity issue but hadn't added much if anything to performance. It was just my preference and since I was the one having to do the work that's what I did. I always thought I was getting more back for my efforts using sinew.
My experiences proved it out to my satisfaction.
God bless,Mudd

[2fletch]

Pat B I'm surprised to hear that you have had trouble with locust. You are in the locust capital of the world or near it.

Back several years ago (when Hurricane Hugo came through) there was a large locust tree uprooted near here. I got permission to cut it up and then got several of the guys to help cut it and haul it out. There were at least three lengths of the main trunk with no limbs and about 24 inches at the base. I got 3-4 bows from my share and they were all good shooters. That's my only experience with locust but it was very good.

[Pat B]

Don, I cut my bow building teeth on locust. I could buy locust fence posts for $5 each and some of them would make 2 staves. Can't cut and split for that. I used it for years because I had nothing else. Never broke a locust bow but most were badly bent! Most fretted too. I heard the there are regional differences in the strengths and weaknesses of locusts. So now that's my story and I'm sticking to it. d;^)
  I have a nice locust stave that was given to me a few years ago. It's sisters all made good bows so I have no excuses with it. I will just have to see.

[ranger 3]

Thanks Roy for your explanation.

[2fletch]

How about string material? I have tried linen, yucca, and squirrel rawhide (with the hair on). Have you tried anything else?

[Mudd]

Nettle.. I prefer B-50..lol

[Pat B]

Only B-50 for me. I do have a sinew string that was given to me for the Jay Massey Medicine Bow I made but it presently has a B-50 string.