Black Locust

[frank bullitt]

I love it! Osage is the great bow wood, no doubt, when it comes to selfbows!

Here in the Midwest, Black Locust is in bloom. For folks who don't know what it is, stick your head out, and take a whiff! ooooohhh so sweet!

This has been one of the most fragant Springs I can remember. Just look for the trees with the white flower clumps hanging, the bark is light brown, thick, with deep furrows, highly textured.

One of my favorite selfbows, Black Locust, made by Gary Davis, in 1991. Gary had told me the wood was given to him from Al Herrin of Oklahoma.

She's a sweet, hard shootin, girl, no doubts. We have some History together, a good thing! Later,

Steve

[Killdeer]

I think you are right about the spring being so fragrant. I have never smelled a sweeter spring.
There isn't much osage around here, but black locust is everywhere. I would like to hear more about bows made of this ubiquitous tree.

Those flowers make good fritters, if you like such things. A little squeeze of orange, a touch of cinnamon...
Killdeer

[ALW]

I hear a lot about BL fretting if not tillered perfectly.  It's really good in tension but not quite as good in compression from what I've read.  I've only built a handful of bows but two of them are BL.  We have much more of that available in WV than we do osage.  At least where I'm at.

One of my bows is 65" long and 55# at 29".  I went 1 3/4" out past mid limb then tapered to 1/2" tips with just a bit of flip to the tips.  The stave was not a good one with several humps and some twist but it has stayed together with no fretting.  I actually took my best deer with that bow.  It's over designed and the tips are heavy giving it some handshock, but it's not too bad.  The other was a smaller bow cut down from a bow that I screwed up.  It's only about 55" or so and about 35# at 24".  This bow had a really nice, clean back and it actually lifted a splinter on the back.  I glued it and did a wrap and it's still together.

Like I said it's more available to me than osage so that's what I'm learning my ring chasing on.  I think it is a beautiful wood and seems to darken with age similar to osage.

Aaron

[frank bullitt]

Did someone say Fritters! I'm all ears Killy! If they are as good as our fried squash blossoms, I need your recipe, Kathy!

Aaron, my bow is an overbuilt, wide limb, 69" long. 59 @ 28. It has some fretting on the lower limb, due to my step thru stringing in the earlier years. Lesson learned! Push-pull, push-pull, stringing is best. Thankfully, She forgave me, and still sends an arrow with all her Heart!

Yes, she has aged beautifully, Her skin tone is a lovely, honey brown. No, not an Island Girl, but oh, she has a lovely beauty mark about upper mid limb.