Apple as bow wood?

[Slackbunny]

I've read that most fruit bearing trees make decent bow wood, and I (along with some illegitimate herb farmers) happen to know of an old abandoned overgrown apple orchard with some standing dead trees, and several non-producing live ones. But I don't want to put the effort into it without at least the possibility of success.

I've done some searching and I have read that apple is a serviceable bow wood, but it rarely gets more than mentioned. Does anyone have more specific details on apple? If I do decide to have a go at it, are there any suggestions on bow specs? If not, I'll just have to do some experimenting.

[rossfactor]

Well there is this by J.D.Duff, which is on my top five all time coolest bows list.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,4575.0.html

But that's crab apple.

Gabe

[Slackbunny]

Thats definitely a cool lookin bow.

[HickoryBill]

The biggest problems with apple of any sort is finding a good stave that isn't twisted to bad,straight enough,relatively free of knots and you have to watch out for pithy,punky centers..Other than that apple will make an excellent bow. Id go for about 66 long 1.5 wide tapering to 3/8 to 1/2 tips.

[George Tsoukalas]

Standing dread is almost never good. Apple should be good if cut live or if downed by a storm within a couple of weeks. Black locust and osage I would cut dead. That is about it. Jawge

[Slackbunny]

Yeah apple definitely has a tendancy to be gnarly and nasty. But this old orchard probably has over 40-50 trees, many quite old and large. Surely I'll be able to find a few useable staves.

Thanks for the suggestions on specs, and I'll make sure to avoid the standing dead ones.

Would it be wise to cut a stave during the winter, or should I wait till the leaves come back?

[Bevan R.]

If you got access to an old orchard, make yourself a hickory bow and shoot the deer coming to get the apples.

[Slackbunny]

I'd have much better luck getting bear. That orchard is overrun with black bears. I've never actually seen one, but the sign is all over the place, and the brush is so thick you can't see very far. But I've heard more than one large animal crashing through the brush when I've been out there. The bears keep the deer pretty scarce in that area. I've never once even seen a track. But its good grouse territory.

[Lone500]

Ive figured apple would make an excellent bow if a suitable staff could be found. i figure the same about a few other small crazily branching trees as well.

take a bow to shoot the bears with man. just take the explosive tipped arrows along 

[JW_Halverson]

I can only imagine smoked bear hams from a young boar taken at the very end of the apple season when he's had time to sweeten up and fill out!

Got the perfect bait, mashed apples with some yeast thrown in it to get it working!

[Slackbunny]

You may have just convinced me to get my bear license this year.

[Lone500]

no telling what you will find in your fermented mash trap 

[JW_Halverson]

no telling what you will find in your fermented mash trap 

I just pictured gstoneberghead first down in a 5 gallon bucket with my arrow in his kiester!

[Matt S.]

I don't have any experience with Apple YET, but I will soon!
Here's my stash of Apple staves and billets cut from a non-producing tree from my parents' yard:


The other posters are spot on, Apple is gnarly, twisted, and has many knots. Every one of these will be "character bows".

I think Tim Baker listed Apple's SG at around .67 in the TBBIV. That puts it in Pecan density or light Hickory, so I'm very hopeful I can get at least one good bow out of this stash.

I'd say go for it and post your bow(s) up! Would love to see more Apple.

[HoBow]

I smoke with it quite a bit because I have access to a bunch of trees. I've never seen a useable stave. Good luck!