Black Walnut Any Good for Bow

[karaterick]

 I'm in WNC and have access to plenty of black walnut and hickory. I know the hickory is a preferred wood, but what about the black walnut. I'm sure it would look beautiful, but would it make a good bow?

Thanks

[hbbows]

I like working with BW.  the only problem I've had is some crysaling on a rounded belly.  Good luck with it.

[DarkSoul]

Run a search for "walnut". You can dig up a lot more info than asking in this new topic. There´s so much already available.

[osagejack]

you can make a bow out of walnut,,but hickory is by far the better choice

[Pat B]

...and hickory backed walnut is an option.   Walnut will make a good selfbow if slightly overbuilt and you use the ring under the bark as your backing.
 I'm assuming you are from Western North Carolina. Where? I live in Brevard.

[blackhawk]

NO!!!!!!! 

[rossfactor]

Walnut, designed properly (just a bit wider/longer than oak) is an outstanding bow wood! Don't listen to the naysayers!    Well designed walnut bow can be very fast and light in the hand. Plus its beautiful wood.

Some people need really forgiving wood (like Osage) to make good bows    , but don't let that bother you! 

[bow101]

Some of these softer, volatile woods like Black walnut, cherry, inferior maple and the like are used mostly for accents in laminated bows, such as veneers, possibly belly woods.

[karaterick]

...and hickory backed walnut is an option.   Walnut will make a good selfbow if slightly overbuilt and you use the ring under the bark as your backing.
 I'm assuming you are from Western North Carolina. Where? I live in Brevard.

I live in Black Mountain, a little east of Asheville. My parents have 50 acres on a mountain side in Burnsville and lots of trees!! 

[Pat B]

I was at Tysons in Black Mt just the other day and dropped a bundle of $ there. 

[Joec123able]

Black walnut is awesome bow wood and it's just plain beautiful

[bushboy]

Walnut dents very readily and I've had failures on well shot in bows because of my lack of pampering!not a battle proven wood for trounching through the bush in my experience!it's pretty though!

[Badly Bent]

Walnut will make you a fine bow, just peel the bark and use the sapwood ring under it for the back. Make sure it is good and dry
because it seems prone to set in my experience. I've made eight walnut bows to date and just harvested another tree for some
future walnut bows. If you have easy access to it I say give it a try, may not be the fastest horse in the stable but it will get the
job done. Easy to work with tools too.