need some help on bow wood choices

[caleb7mm]

I thought I was 100% ready for bocote limbs but now red cedar is looking quite nice.

I just don't know what to do about riser wood to complement each. I absolutely HATE Osage. So that is out for sure, maybe cocobolo or zebra wood?

anyway post some pics or give me your personal opinions while I think about this. I am ordering a bow this week so I need to make up my mind....


--c--

[caleb7mm]

in the top picture replace the Osage with either zebra wood or bocote???? I don't know what to do!!
And I know they are juniper wood limbs, I keep calling them cedar cause they look the same to me  

is juniper generally lighter and more red than cedar? It seems the cedar is a little darker on the bows I have seen, almost black in certain spots?

 

 

[Rooselk]

Wood is a very personal choice. What looks good to you might look quite ugly to the next guy (and vise vera). For instance, I have a thing for yew and yet many feel many feel the same thing about my preference as you do about osage. I'd suggest that you  just go with the woods you personally like best. After all beauty is in the eye of the beholder and what matters most in the end is what look good to you.

[LongbowGuy83]

Some cocobola.
 
With leopardwood.
 

I really like the coco and zebrawood. I think my next one might be coco and bubinga or coco and red elm or something along those lines.

[KY..Rob]

The Robertson in the middle. Cocobola and Myrtle

 

 

[BlacktailBowhunter]

I had a bow made with Bocote limbs and a Bocote/Cocoabola riser. Although I like the woods, it is darker than what I realized I would like.

So, I had the bowyer make another bow with Birdseye Maple limbs and a Birdseye/Bocote handle.

 

[Killdeer]

Juniper = cedar.
There are many species of cedar, but what you have been posting pics of is Eastern Red Cedar. There will be variations in the wood, just like all German Shepherds are not identical.

I would go to the sites of different bowyers to see their galleries of bows in stock or examples of wood. For example, Centaur, Dryad, Black Mountain and Morrison have a lot of bow pics.

Killdeer

[kybowman]

There is a simple solution to this dilema, just get one of each!!!!

 

[Apex Predator]

I think something really dark or really light works best.  Here is wenge and bubinga.  Red is red, right?  Followed by birdseye maple and bubinga.  Then there is canarywood that I'm using in my current build.  It will look great when finished.

 

 

 

[Shifting Shadow]

In the top pictured I would (no pun intended) replace the osage with zebrawood. Zebrano often has wide grain veining which, I think, would contrast nicely with the solid colored bubinga.

[KentuckyTJ]

I think the dark wood you are calling bubinga in the riser is actually Cocobola. Bubinga is usually more pink in color with less grain.

Love the Juniper/cedar lams.

[caleb7mm]

I have decided!!

cocobolo/zebrawood riser with juniper (cedar) limbs.

Now I am excited, I will make the call today!!  

[jonsimoneau]

You will like that.  I've never seen a piece of zebrawood I did not like.  Having said that...I'm a real sucker for bacote.  Good luck!

[NDTerminator]

Originally posted by caleb7mm:
I thought I was 100% ready for bocote limbs but now red cedar is looking quite nice.

I just don't know what to do about riser wood to complement each. I absolutely HATE Osage. So that is out for sure, maybe cocobolo or zebra wood?

anyway post some pics or give me your personal opinions while I think about this. I am ordering a bow this week so I need to make up my mind....


--c--

What are you getting recurve or longbow?

Personally, I'm very partial to Bocote & Zebrawood.  I have a Prairiew Swift Tim at Kota Bowhunting built for me of Bocote with Bocote veneers on belly & back.  To say it's pretty doesn't do the word justice.

I have two Chek Mate H2s, one zebra with Buginga accents & the other Bubinga with Zebra accents.  Both are gorgeous...

[caleb7mm]

its a big Jim buffalo longbow. I like bocote a lot! But man that juniper/cedar just wont leave my mind. And its going to be a two piece bow. I am about 90% sure I will be ordering a three piece from him very soon. And I can leave the bocote for that one   )

[RUSTY1]

I like the Snakebit bows by Blacktail, but much $$$$$!. I'm looking at getting a bocote BW PCH!

[Steve Clandinin]

Caleb,I've owned just about every wood combination there is and I honestly think(in my dimming eyes)two of the nicest combinations are Zebra wood with Cocobolo and Bocote with Macassar Ebony.I ordered my big Jim bow (60",2 piece)with the Wildest Bocote ,for the limbs,that Jim can find with a Macassar and Bocote handle with a hint of Red Phonelic in the handle and overlays.I made 2 knives for Christmas presents for my son and son-in-law with theses combinations and they turned out great.The boys really liked them.Deciding on wood is like goig to a fancy restaurant and deciding what to eat ,just to many selections.GOOD LUCK !LOL