Sassafras for a self bow?

[john hash]

Anyone had experience with Sassafras for a selfbow? How about for a backed bow? John

[talkingcabbage]

I've heard of people using sassafras before, but not sure how it worked.  You can check on paleoplanet.com and do a search on bow woods.  There's a really great comprehensive list that tells what woods are good for bows, which are not, and what you have to do to make them work (eg. wider limbs, longer, etc)

Joe

[shamus]

from Tim Baker (and can be read in TBB4):

   

SASSAFRAS is placed in this category with some reluctance. At .46, it tends to break on its back before taken cast-robbing set. Sassafras will become a fast, smooth bow if handled carefully. An ELB design makes the handle area do work, letting about 20% more wood store energy. At 1.5" wide and 76 or so long, with narrow outer limbs, it will be a durable, sweet-shooting bow. As with other tension-weak woods, a crowned English belly will offer some protection by allowing general and local set to take place, reducing back strain. If backed with light rawhide length or width can be reduced to that of a bow of typical .55 or slightly higher SG wood. All the sassafras I've seen has been thin-ringed, with a high percentage of early growth. This wood was thought well of in earlier times. Possibly better growing conditions allowed thicker-ringed, denser, stronger, more elastic wood. Possibly such wood grows today, in which case it would be rated here as a true bowwood. If given a choice select staves with thicker growth rings and low-percentage early wood. Sassafras is especially easy to work.

[George Tsoukalas]

I've made one from it. The best thing I can say about it is that the wood smells like root beer. It was a favored wood for the Thompson brothers; probably because it worked well as an elb.  Jawge

[shamus]

Jawge,

didn't Rusty Craine also make a "root beer bow" back in the day?

[George Tsoukalas]

shamus, I think I remember that. LOL Or may be you remember me posting mine. I do miss those days.    Jawge

[shamus]

yeah, me too.  

[Roy Steele]

I've only made one bow out sassafras.A backed bow will work.This is a light britle wood.It has a great smell wile being worked. It has to be natural stave it will not take heating.
  If not backed the limbs need to be a little wider 2" AT LEAST little longer AT LEAST 70"half inch nocks.