« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: Why is pine considered a bad bow wood?  (Read 21865 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline makenzie71

  • Member
  • Posts: 572
  • I can robin hood an arrow if I hit it just right.
Why is pine considered a bad bow wood?
« on: December 10, 2009, 02:57:00 pm »
It's just a matter of curiosity.  Searched for a bit but got tired of sifting through results that had words within the threads that had the letters "p", "i", "n", and "e" in them consecutively...like "spine".
Logged
Goodbye, friends. I never thought I'd die like this. But I always really hoped. ~ Fry

Offline RidgeRunner

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,153
Re: Why is pine considered a bad bow wood?
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2009, 03:09:56 pm »
It is brittle and breaks quite easy.
That being said it seems to me that somewhere back in ancient history pine bows used.
I think that was because nothing else was available.

David
Logged
David Key / N.W. Alabama

Offline Parnell

  • Member
  • Posts: 5,556
Re: Why is pine considered a bad bow wood?
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2009, 03:14:29 pm »
From what I've read - it's possible to make a pine bow.  But I understand that it just doesn't stand up.  I guess they have to be heavily overbuilt.  I'm no expert, though.  There were some pictures, though, I recall of some in TBB1, maybe?  I want to say it was spruce, but not sure...
Logged
1’—>1’

Offline Tom Leemans

  • Member
  • Posts: 524
Re: Why is pine considered a bad bow wood?
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2009, 03:25:19 pm »
The cells just don't resist compression (or tension for that matter) enough. Hit a 4x4 untreated pine post with a hammer, then go hit an osage corner post with a hammer. Which one had the bigger dent?
Logged

Offline Hillbilly

  • Member
  • Posts: 8,248
  • I like tater tots.
Re: Why is pine considered a bad bow wood?
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2009, 04:31:21 pm »
Make a pine bow, and it'll become clear to you quite soon. ;D
Logged
Smoky Mountains, NC

NeolithicHillbilly@gmail.com

Progress might have been all right once but it's gone on for far too long.

Offline makenzie71

  • Member
  • Posts: 572
  • I can robin hood an arrow if I hit it just right.
Re: Why is pine considered a bad bow wood?
« Reply #5 on: December 10, 2009, 04:43:03 pm »
I've made one with pine laminations...didn't really seem to cause any issues, but it wasn't the best bow I've ever built.

The above makes sense...it's not a dense wood and is not very resilient.  I was just curious if there was something greater in the reasoning.
Logged
Goodbye, friends. I never thought I'd die like this. But I always really hoped. ~ Fry

Offline Hillbilly

  • Member
  • Posts: 8,248
  • I like tater tots.
Re: Why is pine considered a bad bow wood?
« Reply #6 on: December 10, 2009, 04:50:43 pm »
I'm talking about a self bow, not just filler in a sammich. Pine is light, brittle, and very weak in tension. I wouldn't trust it. Old-growth yellow pine heartwood might make a decent overbuilt bow, but there are plenty of better choices out there.
Logged
Smoky Mountains, NC

NeolithicHillbilly@gmail.com

Progress might have been all right once but it's gone on for far too long.

Offline George Tsoukalas

  • Member
  • Posts: 9,425
    • Traditional and Primitive Archers
Re: Why is pine considered a bad bow wood?
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2009, 05:26:21 pm »
Low in density too. Jawge
Logged
Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!

Offline Dano

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,349
Re: Why is pine considered a bad bow wood?
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2009, 05:49:33 pm »
If you glue enough laminations together you make a bow outa cardboard too.  ;D The density as others have said is the main reason.
Logged
"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy."


Nevada

LNC

  • Guest
Re: Why is pine considered a bad bow wood?
« Reply #9 on: December 10, 2009, 09:11:56 pm »
In TBB, this is all explained.  Any wood will make a decent bow, you just might need to make a very wide flatbow out of it to get a decent draw weight.  A pine bow would need to be very wide and thin, which would be a lot of work and the resulting bow would be unwieldy and prone to damage because it is so soft.
Logged

Offline El Destructo

  • Member
  • Posts: 8,078
  • Longhaired Crippled Hippie Biker And Proud Of It!!
    • Desert Sportz Primitive Archery
Re: Why is pine considered a bad bow wood?
« Reply #10 on: December 10, 2009, 10:15:43 pm »
Douglas Fir will make a Self Bow....I have done two of them in the Wampanoag Style...and both preformed quite well....
Logged
As a species we're fundamentally insane. Put more than two of us in a room, we pick sides and start dreaming up ways to kill one another.Why do you think we invented politics and religion.
Think HEALTHCARE Is Expensive Now,Wait Till It's FREE
Do Or Do Not,There Is No TRY
2024...We Will Overcome

Offline bootboy

  • Member
  • Posts: 441
    • vinland longbows
Re: Why is pine considered a bad bow wood?
« Reply #11 on: December 13, 2009, 09:07:08 am »
I've made a bunch of pine and spruce bows they work work fine. Just back them with burlap first and you have a shooter.
Logged
knapp 'um if you got 'um
Pages: [1]
« previous next »