LBR

Dang pretty wood! I've only been able to find a few pieces, and it was all jet black. Very heavy, and very expensive! The pieces I have seen were all way too small for a riser--first time I've seen wood sell by the pound instead of by the board foot! Don't think I will be using it in one of my own bows, unless I find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Bet that drum cost a small fortune.....

Chad

stealthycat

Is there a prettier bow in the WORLD than this ? Blacktail Snakebit ....The main body of the riser is made with Snakewood from South America and "footed" with Gaboon Ebony from Africa. The limbs feature Tiger Striped Myrtle veneers over a laminated bamboo core. Tiger Striped Myrtle is a rare phenomenon that occurs in Myrtle that is native only to the southern Oregon and northern California coast regions. I think the new ones are with footed limbs - stunning !!

Sagittarius

Robin Hood36,

Thanks for the comments.

Chad,

Actually, Dale found a sourse and only charged me $85.00 extra over Bocote.
I would gladly have paid $200.00 extra.
One guy at LW told me the Blackwood is hard and turns like plastic.
Another guy, who uses it for duck and goose calls, says it's as hard as stone and very heavy.
I wanted it because I love owning something that few others own.
I figure, a Trails End bow with the African Blackwood riser is just the ticket.

Stealthycat,

Yes, I have seen that bow on the Blacktail site.
It is beautiful and exotic too.
I actually thought of asking Dale if he could order me some Snakewood to use as a center stripe for my African Blackwood riser.
But Dale says Bloodwood center stripe with Satinwood accents will look best so I went with his suggestions.
Here is an African Blackwood ornament with a Bloodwood center spiral and top.


Sag.

LBR

I guess the question here would be how much extra is bocote? It is some really nice looking wood, definately different. The most I've paid so far for wood was close to $300 for 2 small boards of Claro walnut--bought directly from a supplier that specializes in that wood. Real pretty, but doubt I do that again. It was more for the grade I got--it was top-notch.

Chad

Ossage

It sure isn't as hard as stone. I'm the turned like plastic guy. It's a great wood, It's amazing in musical instruments because it really doesn't require any finish at all to polish up like marble. Of course you will need some finish for your use, and maybe some heavy silencers.

Quite a few woods are sold by weight it always scares me a little too. It usualy means the piece is so irregular in shape they can't measure it for board feet. And no mater whatever yield you get, your paying for every piece of it.

The main problem with cocobolo, other than the fact the stuff makes you cry like you were sprayed with mace, is that it is a very waxy wood. It's just plain hard to glue, which is hardly a recomendation in a bow wood. Pro bows do blow up from time to time, and the wood can be a factor, though I haven't ever heard that CB is more likely to. These are all problems that are manageable.

Sagittarius

Ossage,

Are you the guy that sent me the PM on LW and said it turns like plastic ?
If so, small world.
I am Sagittarius too at LW because my "Sagittarius" handle was already spoken for.
As far as the "hard as stone" statement, I took it with a grain of salt as some guys get carried away on descriptions sometimes. Even me, lol.


Sag.