Author Topic: anyone ever made a sassfars self bow? (Read 6499 times)

bcbull · « **on:** September 13, 2007, 02:49:18 am »

im wanting some info on this wood everything iv read doesnt mention it so has anyone tryed it ? from what i see it s got very tight growth ring looks slimar to osage thanks for ur input i need it befor i do by this stave

Pappy · « **Reply #1 on:** September 13, 2007, 08:19:01 am »

Never used it ,but I have a good friend that loves it.He usually make English style long bow
or D bows ,narrow with rounded belly,Don't know about flat style bows but I would think it would do fine.It is much lighter than Osage at least the ones I have seen are.

Pappy

Minuteman · « **Reply #2 on:** September 13, 2007, 09:24:18 am »

MUCH lighter than osage. I made one years ago . 2" wide 68" long .It carressed my cheek a bit when the lower limb came apart.

Never tried the ELB style bow though. Still got some in the barn... it IS easy to work....
I'd back it with something for a little insurance.

Pappy · « **Reply #3 on:** September 13, 2007, 09:43:15 am »

The Thompson brothers have talked about it on there ELB'S and really liked it.I also
have some just never got around to using it yet.

Pappy

George Tsoukalas · « **Reply #4 on:** September 13, 2007, 10:08:16 am »

Yes, I have. I went through a stage where I tried every bow wood I could get my hands on. Sass. needs to be wide. I went 2 inches wide and probably should have gone wider. Conclusion: it's a mediocre bow wood but it works. Smells like root beer.

Jawge

Pat B · « **Reply #5 on:** September 13, 2007, 10:39:26 am »

There was an old article in PA about..."You can'y make a bow with Sassafras"...and the auther does make one. I made a few early in my carreer and will again sometimes. Pat

Kegan · « **Reply #6 on:** September 13, 2007, 07:16:16 pm »

Sassafras makes an EXCELLENT bow, especially if you avoid the American Flatbow design. ELBs or D bow are prime and leaves you with a nice fast hard hitting bow. If left thin though, it might wanna break (at least mine have). Best left long, narrow, and thick

, hence they're wonderful talents as ELBs.

TRACY · « **Reply #7 on:** September 13, 2007, 10:41:24 pm »

I've made a few shorter unbacked bows for my kids and they really enjoy it. If the stave comes from a large diameter tree then I think it would fare better. I love working with it, smells wonderful.

bcbull · « **Reply #8 on:** September 14, 2007, 02:40:56 am »

thanks guys that info help s a lot,, i managed to get my hands on a prime osage stave tonite so i think for now im gonna let the sassfras slide im ready to jump into the osage soon aas it gets here cant wait thanks again maybe at a later date ill give it a go

Mike_A · « **Reply #9 on:** September 14, 2007, 03:13:21 am »

Remember to use what you take, ie use the roots to make some killer tea. Good stuff. Mike

snedeker · « **Reply #10 on:** September 14, 2007, 11:44:34 am »

I bet a 58" or so D bow backed with sinew would be interesting. Of course Sinewed sassafras sounds a little too much like sufferin' succotash.

re: roots. Did you know that hickory tap roots were used for mauls in the old days?

Dave

bcbull · « **Reply #11 on:** September 14, 2007, 08:27:31 pm »

ok guys now im in trouble ,,, my 12 year old has been on readin the board now wants to know why i didnt buy that sassafras stave , he wants to have a go at it haha the boy has made 3 hickory flat bows did pretty good so now the qustion is should i give in or make him stay on hickory a while longer

? he s even buggin me to have a go at osage haha im just kind a courious what would yopu guys do in my pistion haha

? dont wanna get him messed up like i am haha

DanaM · « **Reply #12 on:** September 15, 2007, 07:14:41 am »

Give him the sassafras and let him try. Sounds like a good kid to me

stickbender · « **Reply #13 on:** September 27, 2007, 07:17:07 pm »

The reason the sassafrass smells like root beer,is because that is what real root beer is made from. You use the bark of the roots. Makes a sootheing tea. But don't drink too much too often. Also real root beer, (made from the root bark ) was a real beer.
It had an alcoholic content. A friend of mine makes birch beer. I would not have thought it would be a good bow wood though.
I will have to keep that in the back of my mind. Just in case I come across some. Also since I am on here, has anyone tried to make bamboo arrows, like the bamboo fly rods? You know, cutting pyramid or trianaular shaped strips, and then gluing them together, and sanding them round? It is something I have been thinking about for some time. I think I may have brought this up before, but not sure. thanks.

Stickbender

Hillbilly · « **Reply #14 on:** September 27, 2007, 07:43:00 pm »

Stickbender, there's a good thread about the bamboo shafts going on in the "Arrows" forum right now:
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,3383.0.html

Primitive Archer