Sassafrass English Longbow

[RastaRyan]

Hello,
I was just wondering if anybody has made english longbows out of sassafrass.  I have a tree in my yard that needs removed and I know that Maurice Thompson recommended it in the "Witchery of Archery" and all they built were english longbows.  If anybody has would love to hear about it!

[Colt]

I love the stuff under glass!

[frank bullitt]

Ryan, a friend of Steve Martin, a great elb bowyer of Frankfort Ky. made one of sassafrass. It was a beauty! In the 50+lbs. range. Go for it! It's great wood to work and smells good too!

[2treks]

I have a buddy in Canada that told me he likes it for an ELB. 1.5" at the center and 80" long. will be BIG 60#-70# bow will look like a 100#+
I have been looking for some only came up with hackberry so far.
   Good luck and lets see some pics.

[RastaRyan]

Thanks for the info.  I like what I read, all positive stuff.  Two Tracks, 80" long?!?!  That's huge!  The beauty of the wood and especially the smell are apealing.  I will definitely do some pictures for it.  You will be surprised to see where the tree was growing!

[2treks]

Well as my pal says, "We don't make pygmie bows"
Alot of the old ELB's are 76"-80+"
Check out some specs on an English warbow.

[frank bullitt]

I'm not sure about that, Chuck, but the bow I saw was not overly large for the weight. Ryan, I want pics, Steve

[Buz-AL]

The only fine sassafrass bow I've seen appeared exceptionally thick for its weight.

It was a flatbow, but it was probably 25% deeper than comparable flatbows of other hardwoods.

[Bruce Martin]

How would it do backed with bamboo? I have a large board of sassafras that is over 20 years old in my woodshed. Probably I will make a r/d bow with it and bamboo just to check it out.

[frank bullitt]

Bruce, my opinion, is it would work. Bammboo or hickory. Sassafrass is alot like red cedar or even yew. My first bow was an overbuilt Comstock style flatbow. Alot of people thought it was super heavy. Get on it and let us know. Good shootin!

[Cody Roiter]

Guys this past weekend I seen a few bows made from Sassafrass and I also shot one man there nice.... I call Sassafrass poor man yew......

But Sassafrass dose made a nice bow.....

Cody

[2treks]

I just got back from the Marshall primitive shoot in Michigan, and had the pleasure of looking at a number of sassafrass ELB's the lightest was about 1 1/4"w and 80" long about 55-60# the others are about 1 1/2"w and 80" long and 80+#. I have a big hand(I am 6'5") and all of the bows will FILL your hand. AWESOME.
   Very nice looking and great feel to the bow when drawn and released.  I am looking forward to getting my sassafrass staves.
 
The two outboard bows are sassafrass. the black bow is ash. All are very cool English style longbows.

[Cody Roiter]

[frank bullitt]

Nice pic Cody! What weight and backing, rawhide? Did Gary Davis make it? Looks like a Good Time! I miss being at Marshall in the summer time. Lot of Great Memories, good shootin, Steve

[Cody Roiter]

Steve, the weigth was in the high 80 plus... There is no rawhide backing on this warbow.. and Gary did not make his bow my friend scott made it u can see the bow in the pic that twotrack posted scott is on the left side with the bow.. Man this is a great shooting bow.. Very fast and one of the best warbow I have shot in a long time..

[frank bullitt]

Sorry Cody, I meant did Gary make it to the shoot? Two tracks was trying to get him there. So the sapwood was left on, sweet!

[Cody Roiter]

No he did not. I to was in hopes he would.... there was talk of him comeing down for the day but he never did......

Cody

Yep the sapwood was left on the back when I first seen it I was thinking it was yew... so I called it poor man yew...LOL