D/R Rosebay Rhododendron

[wvarcher]

Nice bow!  I like to come on here and discover a new bow wood.  That's a great name for your bow.  I know the area you speak of well.  Caught my share of trout fishing the Dry Fork and Red Creek rivers.

[blackhawk]

Thanks wvarcher...im glad someone understands and appreciates the name of the bow.
My wife grew up and lived in Parsons her whole life before she met me,and she grew up on the Dry Fork. We go back down frequently,and I love that whole area and know it well myself

[coaster500]

Very, very nice....  pretty as the blooms it once carried 

Looks like it's a smooth drawing bow?

[TurtleCreek]

Very cool, great looking bow.

[blackhawk]

Thanks guys and yes she's very smooth and comfy to draw.

[Josh B]

Nice bow! One more kind of wood to look for during my travels. Thanx for increasing the known bow wood list.       Josh

[Keenan]

Great looking bow Blackhawk. Thank you for the info on the Rhodies. I do have some that I harvested when over at the coast last spring. It does seem like strong wood. You did very well with the D/R profile and very nice tiller.

[blackhawk]

Thanks gundoc

Thanks Keenan..is that the pacific rhodo you cut? Pull one off the rack and share your results/thoughts on it....plus I always love seeing a Keenan bow

[Nashoba]

Is this a type of azalea wood or something? It looks great!

[Elktracker]

Man that looks nice! I bet that was fun to tiller You shure are pounding out the bows and with great quality! Well done as usual!

Josh

[blackhawk]

Thanks Nashoba...its exactly what the title says...a rosebay rhododendron...it grows rampid all thru out the east,especially thru the good ole appalachias ...its not an azalea...I have one of those in my front yard,and I've eyeballed it,but there's nothing there to even try and splice together.

Thanks Josh...it was a great teacher stave tillering slightly mismatched D/R limbs,and a wood with all unknowns. Yeah I was on a pretty good bowyering binge there the last couple months. ...is there a cure? Oh yeah.. its as soon as I make that perfect bow that shoots ten rings every time...lol

[bowsandroses]

I like it!  Is this the same Rhododendron that grows in the west Cascades? I like to see bows made of wood that is not common.