kweh kweh omateru, (greetings friends) I greet you in my Wyandot language.
I'm new here and have got the bug.
Finished up my first hickory bow 40# (64 inch) from staves cut from bitternut(or pignut)hickory in December.
it was a great experience and having 120 acres here in NE Oklahoma,now i'm eying all the hackberry,Mulberry,Coffee Trees,Black Locust,
dogwood, and red,blackjack,white,and post oaks and I'll be listening in to you pros.
I found a great stand of arrowwood (this spring)I'll get to them this winter
and harvested some spice bush shoots this winter and seem to be a good possible arrowshaft...after sanding and scraping
they slick up nice pulled through a shaftsized hole drilled in bois d'arc.
Someone suggested heat treating the hickory stave and i think i'll try that next time.
it does follow the string when unstrung.
got a WORRY though with my new bow, though it tillered purt-near "perfect"
during target practice, right at a pinhole knot in mid-limb a tiny crack appeared(can feel the difference in the pull weight)
Is there ANYTHING to do to save it from opening further besides sinew backing?...any glue to pack in the crack while its arced maybe?,to save it?
trying to send pics but i'm no tech wizard.