Howdy,
Buckthorn! It's a "'junk wood" in that it's an aggressive, invasive specie that is taking over large areas of public and wooded lands.
'European Buckthorn; Problem for Ecosystems,...'
"...tests showed European buckthorn to have approximately the same values as hard maple in bending strength, stiffness, and hardness. Specific gravity was also similar to that of hard maple, although additional samples should be tested to confirm this."
http://www.barrygordon.com/Buckthorn_Article.pdfI like to see that the stave had problems and how you delt with those challenges. And, those curves, well done. It'll make meat for sure.
It's a beautiful bow! I can't wait to get out there and get me some Buckthorn.
All the Best,
Canoe