Hickory has a lot going for it, but two things it has against it: it's low in compression strength and is very hygroscopic (soaks up ambient moisture, leading to excess set, loss of poundage, tiller change, etc. This will be compounded by the excessive summer humidity in Missouri.). You can combat both of these fairly easily.
First, be sure that the belly of a hickory bow is wide and fairly flat (either dead flat or only slightly radiused). This will distribute the compression force even over a wider surface area than, say, a round bellied English long bow.
Secondly, be sure that you maximize the working length of the limb. You can do this by allowing the bow to bend, even slightly, through handle or keeping the riser fairly short. Just because you can bend the bajeezers out of hickory before it'll break doesn't mean you should.
Third, you can heat treat the belly of the bow to increase its compression strength (helping to prevent excessive set). While it's hot, burnish it with a glass bottle or piece of antler to compress the fibers further. Also, trapping the back will create a higher ratio of belly-to-back surface area, thus combating set.
Fourth, keep your bow in a climate controlled environment when not being shot. This includes air conditioning (which reduces relative humidity) in the summer. If you leave it in a hot car for a couple of hours on a July afternoon and then string her up for a shoot...you'll not like the results.
The same goes for the staves...keep them climate controlled, particularly in the summer, and be sure the moisture content of the wood is low...even lower than you would typically shoot for in an osage, elm, ash, or hackberry stave.
I hope this helps. These are just a few of the many suggestions that can be used to fashion a fine hickory selfbow. Best of luck!
Topic: Hickory Design (Read 446 times)
