black walnut shorty, 52" ntn 60# @ 26"

[Josh B]

Pappy, Gus,  Thank you.

Kpete- it's technically closer to flat sawn, but on this narrow of a stave, the outside edges would be like quartersawn I guess.  I'm just happy it held up and shoots as good as it does.  I fully expected it to fail at about 24" of draw.  I'm quite happy that it proved me wrong.
                                                         Josh

[Del the cat]

Oh man, she's gorgeous, I just love that almost semicircular tiller.
And you made her a nice black lace up corset too . 
Great bow, I'd love to have a few shots with that baby.
Del

[HighEagle]

Very nice job Josh,

 I'II have to keep a lookout for BW would like to try your decrowning method. Keep up the good work.

Chuck

[dbb]

Fantastic bow!
I think you make use of every fiber in that one 
Really pretty too with the light sapwood framing the dark heartwood.

/Mikael

[PeteC]

Very nice bow. I really like the way you laid it out using the sapwood.Very unique. You have a lot of nerve to finish her up without even a light backing on that decrowned back.Hope she holds together. Beautiful wood.  God Bless

[Josh B]

Del- I almost spit my coffee on the screen when I read you're post!!!

Chuck- thanks for the kind words, I've been admiring you're work with RO.  Picked up a 3" sapling in UT last week to try it out.  I would appreciate any insight you have in regards to this wood.  I'm planning on trying a English warbow, but I don't know how tension strong RO is. Especially considering the high crown I'll be working with.

DBB- Thanks

PeteC- Testing the limits, so to speak, was the idea behind this bow.  Sinew, rawhide and the like are all well and good, but unbacked is the true test of limits.  I spent about three hours putting arrows through it this weekend, within an hour after unstringing, it returned to the unbraced profile I started with.  It seems to be holding up much better than one would expect.  I would like to start bragging here, but the truth is there was a lot more luck involved than skill.  It's all good though, I'll take luck over skill anyday!!! Thanks for the kind words,
 Josh

[Kpete]

gundoc,
Yeah,  I see that it would be like flat sawn, but it seems like the rings would work like quartersawn since the back goes across the whole limb.  I sure like the looks of it and the way you made it work.   I am thinking about doing that to some other saplings and branches.  Good job.

[Josh B]

Kpete you do have a point. Probably half the width would be close to quartersawn.  Perhaps Halfeye's observed principle's of quartersawn wood is at work here.  I believe I'm going to have to do some more experimentation with quartersawn wood.  Once again, thanks for the kind words,
                                                     Josh