Blow down staves?

[b.glass]

I've been told that staves from a blown down tree does not make good bows. I think they were talking selfbows.

What about backed bows? I have 4 blown down ERC trees that I am cleaning up for the wood. On top of everything else going on, I don't really have time for this but I got to get it when I can I guess.

I think there may be some bow wood in the lot. I've wanted to make a sinew backed ERC bow for a long time. I ruined my first attempt.

Bona
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[Pat B]

Bona, some blown down trees that don't rot easily can be used, like osage, yew, locust and ERC. If the trees are dead the sapwood will be useless and the heartwood should be backed to make a bow.

[b.glass]

They were not dead trees Pat so they should be ok! That is great news! Thank you!

I saw some sections of the first tree that are straight and knot free and long enough/wide enough for a bow.

What I had heard before was that the trauma, for lack of a better word, that a tree goes through when getting blown down makes a stave from it too...something...finicky? Twisty? Years ago I had tried to make a bow from a blown down hickory. I have learned that hickory is not the easiest wood to make a good bow from. I think it makes good bows but you have to know what you are doing.

Bona
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[Grey Taylor]

Sounds like one of those old bowyer's legends. Like, kiln dryed wood won't make good bows. Or, right handed shooters need to use left wing feathers.
Good on you for asking the question.

Guy

[Pat B]

It depends of how violently the blow down was. Blown down trees can be very dangerous to cut because of the internal stresses that happened when it was blown down. Sometimes the tree will twist and wind shakes occure where the growth rings are delaminated. In the case of wind shakes the wood is not suitable for bows if the shakes are in the stave.

[Dave Bowers]

Ive use a few large limbs from blow downs with no problems. But then again I am no where near the bowyer like pat is.

[Bowjunkie]

As Pat mentioned, besides the issue of degredation depending on how long they were down(less of a problem with cedar), there is the issue of cracks, wind shear, ring delamination, etc. I don't like those kind of surprises. Bowmaking is a lot of work. I want to increase my odds of success when possible. I much prefer standing, living trees for all my bow wood just to be on the safe side. But if I was hurtin' for bow wood, it blew over recently at the roots, and that's what I had available, I'd go for it.

[Sal]

If the wood is sound, it doesn't matter how it came down, it'll make a bow.  

If the wood is damaged by shakes, delaminations, etc. then it doesn't matter how it came down either, its no good.

The wood doesn't "get ruined" automatically by a blowdown, nor is it automatically good because it was cut.  

Cut them cedars and check it out.

[b.glass]

Thanks for all the responses! I think I will try some.

Bona