Bow Backing question

[burniegoeasily]

Ive just recently started making my first bow. Ive got the stave cut out and the bow tillered. It is 72 inches and pulls about 60lbs. I am not going to leave it as a selfbow, I want to back it to make it more durable, pluse add some spring to it. The bow is white oak, im thinking of backing it with either hickory or bambo. I believe bambo would be the best. What do you with more expericence think?

[Arthur P]

Bambo??




I might use bamboo instead. [8D]

I really don't know which would be best. I've never made a bow from white oak. The red oak bow I backed with hickory is still shootable and I made it very short - 66" for a 31" draw. It was my first oak bow and I thought the hickory back would let me get away with it. The bow has a lot of string follow - don't hardly have tobend it at all tostring it - but it's still together.

I'm sure bamboo will be just as tough and a bit lighter. So it might yield a tiny bit more arrow speed.

Frankly, I'd choose whichever one looks best to you.

[PAstew]

Bamboo!

[burniegoeasily]

Lol. typo. but I like the card.