Standing dead Vs. Seasoned

[huisme]

A few of the locust bows I've posted, plus some, were from 8+ year standing (and fallen ) dead wood. My favorite stuff to work for how often it's darker than live wood.

[Badly Bent]

Paulsemp gifted me an osage bow he recently made from dead standing and I've been shooting the snot out of it for a few weeks. Great cast and springs right back into reflex when unstrung after shooting for a couple hours, as far as osage goes I'm a believer. ( unless of course its performance has to do with Paul's bowyering skills). Naw, must be the wood.

[osage outlaw]

Probably a little of both Greg 

[dwardo]

In the wet and wild UK white woods decay about 10 minutes after cutting them. Even if someone very kind has taken down wood for me and not de-barked it and stored it properly its ruined in a matter of weeks or months.

[Badger]

  A friend brought me over some plum staves yesterday from a standing dead plum tree. I can tell just by feeling and looking at it that it is no good.

[TimBo]

Anyone have experience making a good bow from standing dead ERC?  I have a few staves in the garage that I want to work on someday soon.  It looks like the sapwood will need to be thinned or removed, but the heartwood looks/smells/works fine.  I am planning to back with rawhide.  That said, I know ERC is touchy already...will I need a helmet and goggles?

[Badger]

Timbo, I did have some luck with standing dead erc, it was just like new wood 2 years after katrina blew it down. No rot or bug holes, this was in Mississippi. It wasnt't actually standing when I got to it.

[mullet]

I had good luck on the one ERC log I found in the river. It was all heart wood, the sap wood being long gone.

[TimBo]

Thanks for the info - it's good to know it has been done.  I did a search at some point, but don't remember seeing/hearing about any finished bows.