Black Locust (help)

[Markus]

I have obtained a Black Locust stave, but even though I have made bows for nearly 30 years now I have never made bows from this wood species, it does not grow here.
It is 72" long, plenty of width and free from knots and all heartwood.The back will be slightly wavy following one growth ring. From the curvature of the back it seems to have come from a tree with about 10 " diameter. I want to make a stiff and narrow handled bow with a  40lbs weight at 30" draw. Can you give me advice on lenght, width, flat or sligthly rounded belly etc? Thank you. Markus.

[Pat B]

I treat locust like whitewoods because it is prone to fretting if you don't do your part. I think it works similar to osage as far as workability goes. BL lends itself well to heat manipulation and also benefits from belly tempering.

[blackhawk]

Since your wanting a stiff handle with a 30" draw I'd use all that length ya have...width will depend and vary on what kinda style and front profile you are wanting to build....if you can be more design specific,then widths can be given...for example pyramid,reflex deflex,recurve,standard flat bow,holmgaard,mollegabet,r/d recurve,sudbury,meare heath,etc..etc..etc.....

Oh...and flat bellies are best for locust

[George Tsoukalas]

How much or a non bending handle do you want?

[Markus]

Would be a standard flatbow, parallel width out to midlimb and then tapering to 1/2" at nocks.
Handle section 4 1/2" plus rather abrupt about 2" fades. If I do not have enough lenght I could go with a bendy handle style. Markus.

[huisme]

Personally, I'd go with 1^3/4" for the inner limb, then even taper to 1/4" overlay tips (I keep them wider until I'm done tillering), completely flat and toasted belly, mildly trapped back, 1^3/4" fades and 4-4^1/2" grip (3/4" wide, no less than 1^1/4" thick at any point).

It works pretty similarly to osage, osage being a little bit nicer in my limited experience with the yellow wood, but it frets much easier. It's a little bit faster than osage in my experience, but you have to be careful with the tiller and design to keep that speed in the bow.

If you have any more staves I highly recommend trying a mollegabet with it