Black Walnut

[bowhntineverythingnh03743]

Hey guys... today was a rainy day here in NH and I was at a buddies house stalking turkeys. While doing so I came a cross some black walnut trees. Are these any good for bow making? I am not good at figuring out whats good or not for bows

[soy]

I love black walnut for Bowmakeing! but it's not for everybody It is a beautiful wood But it's more prone for set.... shake the dice and see if it's for you.... make sure to include pics

[Pat B]

BW will make a good bow. You want to use the sapwood under the bark for the back of the bow. Usually this will give you a little heartwood in the handle.

[tanner]

I personally enjoyed my first black walnut bowmaking experience (also my very first try bowmaking). It's really easy to work with, is beautiful and smells great (imo). The down-side if you're a no0b like myself is that it's not all that forgiving. I got a transverse crack from a tillering mistake that quickly demoted it to my first pretty wall-hanger rather than my first shooter.   For me, however, it's a very common wood where I live so I'll be trying it again soon after I finish up the mulberry I'm working on now.

[wildcat hunter]

  I think black walnut is the most beautiful wood there is. I glued up some pieces last year and backed it with osage! Gold on black - its beautiful! BUT - can't shoot it!! Its got a crease on both limbs at the fades - its a wall hanger now.

[Fred Arnold]

You guys are giving me heartaches with you black walnut stories. I've felled a tree a few months ago that ended up giving me a dozen good staves. I've been too busy too finish the first one I started but did some work on it this weekend. It's 62 3/4" total length, 2" at the fades for 12" and then tapered to the points which will be 1/2".

The limbs are currently less than a 1/2" thick and these things still won't move. I know I have to have patience and they keep telling me leave them wide but somethings gotta give here pretty quick or I'm going to start slowly thinning them.