Ranking the best limb woods

[brackshooter]

Was wondering if you could help me put together a ranking of the best limb woods.  Mainly interested in the most popular ones, bamboo, osage, zebrawood, elm, yew, etc.  Wondering about smoothness, speed, etc.
thanks guys,


brack

[Danny Rowan]

If you shoot a Brack as your handle eludes to, then you know that Bill recommends Hickory,Wenge and walnut in about that order for a core wood. Bamboo is also a good choice in my opinion. Elm has been a standard limb wood for a long time. zebra is a good laminate, do not think it is used as a core wood. My top 4 choices would be; hickory,wenge,walnut and bamboo.

Danny

[Jeremy]

My top three (in no particular order) are: natural bamboo (not actionboo) walnut and yew.  All are light weight for their stiffness.

Close seconds are elm, maple, and some of the actionboo.

[brackshooter]

ttt........
What about osage?

[Steelhead]

I like yew and bamboo.lightweight and recover well with less hanshock.they have a whippy, wand like feel on the bows I have those woods in.they feel smooth on the draw

Osage is a bit heavier.Its very tuff.Its very good in compression on the belly side of of a bow.I think it shoots nice with longer longbow limbs and heavier arrows.I have had a couple great northern superghosts curves that were all osage limbs that shot nice.I was shootin heavy 650 gr arrows out of those.

[Lost Arra]

On glass laminated bows, does the wood used in the limbs really have a significant effect on shooting characteristics?  How much work is done by the glass?

I would think the greatest effects would be from the overall bow and limb design by the bowyer?

I can see the wood choice having a huge impact on all-wood selfbows or bamboo backed bows.

[Ric Anderson]

Design of the bow definately has the greatest impact on how a bow will shoot.  That said, I strongly believe that the woods used in a bow, especially a longbow, make a difference in its characteristics.  Red Elm, Canarywood, Zebrawood, Maple, Bamboo, Yew, Black Walnut, and others all make for good shooting bows.  They are all durable and have good recovery speeds.  It has been my experience that when I use Bamboo or Yew that I have to add to the overall limb thickness to hit the desired draw weight.  Osage, Black Locust, Bubinga and some others are also excellent woods but seem to have a little more handshock.  That's not a big deal on a recurve but I believe can definately be felt on a longbow due to the number of lams in a longbow.  I prefer to use them as the center lams on a longbow in combination with some smoother shooting woods.  The other option is grinding them down to .020 or less and using them as veneers over another corewood.  This allows them to show thru the glass and at the same time reduce their impact.

[JC]

Not a bow builder and have no claim on any such knowledge. However, I've pulled and shot quite a few bows. I think bamboo (including the boo laminates) is the best, period: smooth, quick, no shock with proper design. I like it so well over the other core woods, I'd be hard pressed for anyone to convince me that I should use anything else. Yew would be my second choice but only if I can't get it in bamboo.

I've also been very fond of sassafrass for a core...Gene Sanders of G&L archery built quite a few with "rootbeer" cores and they feel very similar to bamboo to me.

[john gerrard]

JC, I agree with you on the sassafrass as a core or a veneer. I have a Ancient Spirits Sequia with action boo cores and sassafrass veneers that is very smooth and quick. The "frass" that Tree used on my bow was beautiful. Not too many people would think of it for a veneer but is has grain very simular to red elm. Mine was left natural but I'm sure that it could be stained in many colors. Brokenwing

[CheapShot]

My Treadway Black Forrest has sassafrass limbs under clear glass. Seems to shoot pretty quick, and light to carry compared to some similar longbows I have shot. I have shot some Hill bows with bamboo cores that were awfully smooth and light in the hand.

[Ian johnson]

I like bamboo and red elm

[mikecc]

I agree with Ric when I use actionboo for a core on my little hybrid bow I have to use more wood than if I use zebra or black walnut which are 2 of my favorites. Mike

[brackshooter]

I have a rose oak with zebrawood limbs that is pretty darn fast........

brack

[defiant]

As a core wood I like walnut and black cherry.For decorative purpose any exotic wood veneers of .030 will work.

[Bert Frelink]

Hhhhmmm, let me see #1 choice Bamboo
                    #2 choice Bamboo
                    #3 choice Bamboo
In my opinion there is no better suited material than Bamboo for limbs.
Regards, Bert.

[BamBooBender]

Bamboo imho is the best core material, but not the best looking under clear glass. I've often wondered if the reason why boo feels so good is because it has linear fibers just like the glass. At any rate the glass is doing most(if not all, except for deep core LB's) of the work, so if a person wants any sort of core wood just for looks they ain't giving up a whole lot. jmho