wildcherry

[EricWard]

The neighbors just cut a huge wild cherry tree, and I was just wondering if cherry is bow worthy wood?

[turtle]

Ive read mixed results with black cherry. Havnt tried it yet but its on my list of woods to try someday.

[Joec123able]

Try it and find out

[twilightandmist]

black cherry is absolutely bow worthy. i have had nothing but good results from it. i have made everything from ELBs to shortbows from it, and no problems yet. just gotta be a bit careful with the back, its picky about tension. pick a good ring with few defects and reasonable thickness for the back, be careful not to overstrain it in tillering, and you'll have a great bow

[blackhawk]

Its hit or miss stuff...it can be touchy...I wouldn't waste my time with it when ya have plenty of other better available woods to ya Eric....but here's my experience with a cherry(pin cherry)...lol...what exact species are you referring too?...I'm assuming black cherry as many folks in your area call it wild cherry
Ed(beadman) gave me a chokecherry that I intend to sinew back cus most cherries are brittle n weak I. Tension as a unbacked self bow...
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,37176.0/nowap.html

[DLH]

Heck if you don't make bows from it you could have it sawed for furniture depending on how big it is or lumber for small projects. It also darkens with age which is nice too.

[JeremiahVires]

I hate it.  I can never get it to dry right.  I take the bark off, seal it, then dry it in a garage for 5 months-a year, and it just breaks due to too much moisture being lost.

My conclusion:  Use it to smoke some ribs.

[bow101]

I hate it.  I can never get it to dry right.  I take the bark off, seal it, then dry it in a garage for 5 months-a year, and it just breaks due to too much moisture being lost.

My conclusion:  Use it to smoke some ribs.

............   cherry is nice to work with, one of my faves, makes great furniture if nothing else.

[dmenzies1950]

I know some folks have made fine bows with it, but I have tried it several times and have only come away with one usable bow, and that was a 13#er I made for my grandson and I backed that one with rawhide.
My advice would be to put up a few staves, and when they are  well seasoned give it a try. You may love the stuff! Some of the guys do.
Dale

[mikekeswick]

Like any wood you have to learn it's particular characteristics   
Good in compression not so good in tension. Back with thin rawhide and you should be fine.

[dwardo]

Once of my favourites, have a search on here for some of the ones i have made.
(just ignore the last one) 

Makes a great fast bow but does need some care and you cant take the pish with it. Go atleast 65 66 and back with silk to be sure. All the bows i kept to these dimensions are nice bows. The last I pushed my luck way too far, 59 6 inch static handle, static recurves, what could go wrong?? 
Definitely better in compression than tension. I have a tiny short bow i made from cherry and i have abused it on the tiller board and it will not chrysal.

[Dances with squirrels]

Maybe it depends on the particular tree. I've had cherry fret quite easily. Cherry, if you stick with it, will hone your tillering ability...it's gotta be designed well and tillered perfectly.

I like to flatten the back and glue on a very thin piece of quartersawn hickory.

[Slackbunny]

Its definitely worthy. You just need to take care with it. It won't take abuse or misuse during the build. I wouldn't expect to get warbows out of it, but it can make a great hunter if you treat it right. And its so darn pretty that its a shame not to a make a bow from it!

[JeremiahVires]

Cherry in general "Likes to be pampered".
Good quote from Twilight And Mist.

Never made a successful bow from it, but go ahead.  Many people have!

[adb]

Cherry is bow wood. I believe it has one of the highest values of hysteresis. Unfortunately, it will chrysal easily if your tiller isn't perfect. I've made several backed flatbows with cherry and they're great shooters, but it's touchy wood.