Wood for self bow-Black Locust?
08-11-2008, 12:48 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TX Panhandle
Posts: 620
Wood for self bow-Black Locust?
What about Black Locust for a self bow? Does it work good? I have access to tons of the stuff, there is a large stand of it on one of the places I hunt.
What do you do about cutting and curing it? Anyone got a good link to something on that?
And what about Osage? Is that the same thing as Bois de Arc, or to us country folk, Bodark? That makes the big wrinkly "apples" that bleed white milk? I have heard if you cut a tree down and let the shoots grow up, they grow nice and straight and amke a good bow. Is this true or is it bunk? We have lots of that stuff around here also. I can probably find one in a shelterbelt that has already been cut and has shoots.
Once again, how do you dry it properly without splitting?
What do you do about cutting and curing it? Anyone got a good link to something on that?
And what about Osage? Is that the same thing as Bois de Arc, or to us country folk, Bodark? That makes the big wrinkly "apples" that bleed white milk? I have heard if you cut a tree down and let the shoots grow up, they grow nice and straight and amke a good bow. Is this true or is it bunk? We have lots of that stuff around here also. I can probably find one in a shelterbelt that has already been cut and has shoots.
Once again, how do you dry it properly without splitting?
08-11-2008, 01:10 PM
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: Wood for self bow-Black Locust?
I am going to try black locust next year. I cut down a tree and split it, and its drying now. I removed the bark since it comes off easy in the summer and coated the "back", and the ends with elmer white glue then put spray shellac on just to make sure. I will let dry for a year, and hopefully be making bows next year. I am also considering covering with insectiside. I just put them in my garage on a rack.
Osage Orange is about as good as you can get. The bark is going to be orangish, and put off this seed filled orange looking fruit. Thorns everywhere.
Have you read traditional bowyers bible yet? Volumn 1 explains how to cut and all.
Osage Orange is about as good as you can get. The bark is going to be orangish, and put off this seed filled orange looking fruit. Thorns everywhere.
Have you read traditional bowyers bible yet? Volumn 1 explains how to cut and all.
08-11-2008, 02:19 PM
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: Wood for self bow-Black Locust?
Here's a link where I cut em. BL is very difficult to tiller for a beginner. They way it will teach you how to tiller. Because one point that is being overstressed with chisel, and ruin it. But osage is tough for a beginner too. I suggest taking a class on it. My first osage turned out ok, but had to take it down to 40lbs to get tiller right. I still might pike it, and heat treat the belly and sinew the back to get wieght back up to 55-60lbs.
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2924396
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2924396
08-11-2008, 03:19 PM
#4
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TX Panhandle
Posts: 620
RE: Wood for self bow-Black Locust?
Thanks bigcountry. I have been looking around some and found some info on cutting and curing the wood and such. Looks like it is cut it this winter, and then build a bow here in a few years.
But I guess the way I look at it, might as well cut it and store it, even if I don't use it someone else will I guess. I imagine I will have a few kids bows to build along the way, my daughter is 8 months old today. Too late for my boys, or maybe not, they are 12 and 16. 16 year old isn't into bows though, he is a strict rifle shooter.
I'm sure I can find a good Black locust to cut, no problem. I did some research, and osage orage is what I call a bodark apple tree. We have lots of them around here, but the problem is going to be finding one that is good and straight. Most of those have been cut for fenceposts, they are at a premium for that. In fact, I cut one down last night clearing out a shooting lane on my food plot, but it was young and twisted. It may take a few months of looking but I bet I can find a good one.
But I guess the way I look at it, might as well cut it and store it, even if I don't use it someone else will I guess. I imagine I will have a few kids bows to build along the way, my daughter is 8 months old today. Too late for my boys, or maybe not, they are 12 and 16. 16 year old isn't into bows though, he is a strict rifle shooter.I'm sure I can find a good Black locust to cut, no problem. I did some research, and osage orage is what I call a bodark apple tree. We have lots of them around here, but the problem is going to be finding one that is good and straight. Most of those have been cut for fenceposts, they are at a premium for that. In fact, I cut one down last night clearing out a shooting lane on my food plot, but it was young and twisted. It may take a few months of looking but I bet I can find a good one.
08-11-2008, 03:53 PM
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: Wood for self bow-Black Locust?
ORIGINAL: Critr-Gitr
Thanks bigcountry. I have been looking around some and found some info on cutting and curing the wood and such. Looks like it is cut it this winter, and then build a bow here in a few years. But I guess the way I look at it, might as well cut it and store it, even if I don't use it someone else will I guess. I imagine I will have a few kids bows to build along the way, my daughter is 8 months old today. Too late for my boys, or maybe not, they are 12 and 16. 16 year old isn't into bows though, he is a strict rifle shooter.
I'm sure I can find a good Black locust to cut, no problem. I did some research, and osage orage is what I call a bodark apple tree. We have lots of them around here, but the problem is going to be finding one that is good and straight. Most of those have been cut for fenceposts, they are at a premium for that. In fact, I cut one down last night clearing out a shooting lane on my food plot, but it was young and twisted. It may take a few months of looking but I bet I can find a good one.
Thanks bigcountry. I have been looking around some and found some info on cutting and curing the wood and such. Looks like it is cut it this winter, and then build a bow here in a few years.
But I guess the way I look at it, might as well cut it and store it, even if I don't use it someone else will I guess. I imagine I will have a few kids bows to build along the way, my daughter is 8 months old today. Too late for my boys, or maybe not, they are 12 and 16. 16 year old isn't into bows though, he is a strict rifle shooter.I'm sure I can find a good Black locust to cut, no problem. I did some research, and osage orage is what I call a bodark apple tree. We have lots of them around here, but the problem is going to be finding one that is good and straight. Most of those have been cut for fenceposts, they are at a premium for that. In fact, I cut one down last night clearing out a shooting lane on my food plot, but it was young and twisted. It may take a few months of looking but I bet I can find a good one.
I found an osage tree in MD, believe it or not, and going to try to cut a limb to make some bows. Its over 3 ft in diamter and all twisted up at the base.
08-11-2008, 09:25 PM
#7
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: land of the Lilliputians, In the state of insanity
Posts: 26,274
RE: Wood for self bow-Black Locust?
ORIGINAL: Kosherboy
Black locust is good , but nothing beats hickory and Osage Orange, IMO
I have many exotic woods that I'll be trying.
Black locust is good , but nothing beats hickory and Osage Orange, IMO
I have many exotic woods that I'll be trying.
08-11-2008, 09:26 PM
#8
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: land of the Lilliputians, In the state of insanity
Posts: 26,274
RE: Wood for self bow-Black Locust?
ORIGINAL: bigcountry
You don't want to cut a hickory or BL in winter I found out. Bark after the sap goes down is like die hard blue steel. Many like to harvest in late summer. Or Early spring.
I found an osage tree in MD, believe it or not, and going to try to cut a limb to make some bows. Its over 3 ft in diamter and all twisted up at the base.
ORIGINAL: Critr-Gitr
Thanks bigcountry. I have been looking around some and found some info on cutting and curing the wood and such. Looks like it is cut it this winter, and then build a bow here in a few years. But I guess the way I look at it, might as well cut it and store it, even if I don't use it someone else will I guess. I imagine I will have a few kids bows to build along the way, my daughter is 8 months old today. Too late for my boys, or maybe not, they are 12 and 16. 16 year old isn't into bows though, he is a strict rifle shooter.
I'm sure I can find a good Black locust to cut, no problem. I did some research, and osage orage is what I call a bodark apple tree. We have lots of them around here, but the problem is going to be finding one that is good and straight. Most of those have been cut for fenceposts, they are at a premium for that. In fact, I cut one down last night clearing out a shooting lane on my food plot, but it was young and twisted. It may take a few months of looking but I bet I can find a good one.
Thanks bigcountry. I have been looking around some and found some info on cutting and curing the wood and such. Looks like it is cut it this winter, and then build a bow here in a few years.
But I guess the way I look at it, might as well cut it and store it, even if I don't use it someone else will I guess. I imagine I will have a few kids bows to build along the way, my daughter is 8 months old today. Too late for my boys, or maybe not, they are 12 and 16. 16 year old isn't into bows though, he is a strict rifle shooter.I'm sure I can find a good Black locust to cut, no problem. I did some research, and osage orage is what I call a bodark apple tree. We have lots of them around here, but the problem is going to be finding one that is good and straight. Most of those have been cut for fenceposts, they are at a premium for that. In fact, I cut one down last night clearing out a shooting lane on my food plot, but it was young and twisted. It may take a few months of looking but I bet I can find a good one.
I found an osage tree in MD, believe it or not, and going to try to cut a limb to make some bows. Its over 3 ft in diamter and all twisted up at the base.
08-11-2008, 09:38 PM
#9
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: Wood for self bow-Black Locust?
ORIGINAL: burniegoeasily
True. I never cut any wood later than early summer. Spring is the best time to do it.
True. I never cut any wood later than early summer. Spring is the best time to do it.
08-12-2008, 06:38 AM
#10
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TX Panhandle
Posts: 620
RE: Wood for self bow-Black Locust?
I read that in "Bows and Arrows of the Native Americans" by Jim Hamm. That was where I got the idea it should be cut in winter. I found a place where you can read most of that book online. Looks like a good book, I'm probably going to order it.
