White Oak?

[Knawbone]

Just wondering if anyone has any pointers for working a White Oak stave. How good a performer bow, ect.I'v never worked with it for making a bow and would app. any info, insights, advice, ect. Thanks, Knawbone

[George Tsoukalas]

White oak will make you a fine bow. I'd make it 2 in out to just past mid limb and narrow to 1/2 inch nocks. I'd mark out a 5 in handle and make 1.5 in fades. Double your draw length and add 20% for a length depending on the condition of the stave. This is a log stave? Jawge

[DLH]

White oak has a high tensile strength. In one of the TBBs they stated that white oak was almost unbreakable and sometimes broke after hickory.Also in the the fourth bowyer bible the reported that it took good to heat treating as well. The wood under the bark can be used as the back and if not dried needs to be sealed on the ends and the back to prevent checking. Also in one of the TBBs they found it takes alot of set but had mixed reviews with that. This is just what I have read in books and on the forums it would be nice to have someone with experience to chim in but thought this might help some. I don't know if it soaks up moisture as bad as hickory as I would like to know this myself?

[John Cooper]

I've seen some pretty nice white oak short bows.  It was the scalloped kind that some identify with the Ojibwa (no comment, please!   )  They take a set, but never break.

[Living_waters]

I have had some take set but then some are almost perfect. This one is 68" NTN 2" at the fades tapering to 1/2" tips, 9" nonworking handle 48" at 28". It takes about 3/4" set right after it is unstrung but relaxes to near perfect.    
It is unbacked,I don't think you could break this one. If I had to depend on one wood to make bows consistently out of it would be white oak.