I got a dumb question...

[seminolewind]

Is lemon wood just wood from a lemon tree or something completely different ? 

Thanks yall, one day when I get better at bows I'll sneak out of the flintknapping page and post on here...until then dumb posts like this is all ya get !

[killir duck]

it's a completely different wood, i believe it comes from south amarica.

[DavidV]

It goes be Degame half the time if you need help searching.

[Sidmand]

it's a completely different wood, i believe it comes from south amarica.

yep, different wood.  Native to Cuba, hard/near impossible to get now that there is a trade embargo with them.  Hickory is an excellent substitute according to all of the reading and forum stalking I have done.

[Parnell]

Once they open that Cuban market, Elijah, we'll be seeing it again.  I don't think it's all that far away...

Anybody know if you can make a Degame selfbow?

[BOWMAN53]

ive got a question, dont mean to hijack the post. does wood from a lemon tree make a good bow?

[Wiley]

Kind of in a similar vein but I was also wondering the other day if anyone has ever tried to make a bow from a lemon tree.

[Parnell]

Lemon trees are more like bushes.  Lots of my neighbors have them down here.  I don't think you would find a stave.

[BOWMAN53]

in cali they are more tree like. youd have to look for a long time to find a straight one though.  i guess you can say its like osage, if you just let it grow its a big thorny bush but with pruning its more tree ish.

[Pat B]

Eddie Parker may have made a bow from sour(wild) orange from Florida.
  Jordan, I have seen some old lemonwood selfbows. Actually, I have one flat bow and one ELB style.

[Wiley]

I don't plan to even try it, more of a curiosity. Pictures of lemon "trees" makes me think that if the wood was decent a couple decent sized trunks might be possible to use as billets.

[BOWMAN53]

Eddie Parker may have made a bow from sour(wild) orange from Florida.
  Jordan, I have seen some old lemonwood selfbows. Actually, I have one flat bow and one ELB style.

really? do you have any pictures?

[Pat B]

I'll take some.

[Dances with squirrels]

Parnell, yes lemonwood makes a good selfbow. York mass-produced lemonwood selfbows back in the day.  I have one at home I got from an auction, in the box as a kit the way it was sold with arrows, target, instruction manual, etc.

[Sidmand]

Here is a link to a 'vintage' buildalong for a lemonwood (Degame) selfbow.  I intend to try to use mostly the same layout for a hickory stave I am working on right now.

http://www.vintageprojects.com/archery/Flatbow-plans.pdf