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Author Topic: Black locust  (Read 11960 times)

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Offline Wulamoc

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Black locust
« on: February 04, 2008, 10:56:11 am »
Is black locust a good wood for making bows? I have access to some and didn't know if it should go into bows or the fireplace. Thanks in advance.
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Offline Hrothgar

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Re: Black locust
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2008, 11:09:38 am »
Black locust is very good bow wood; use the dark corewood, sometimes "frets" will develop with no apparent reason, but don't let this stop you. BL is a strong, hard, pretty wood. Good luck.
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Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Black locust
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2008, 11:11:48 am »
Oh no! Not the fireplace. BL is a very good bow wood. :) Jawge
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Offline snedeker

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Re: Black locust
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2008, 11:18:18 am »
I have seen more fretting with BL when used in backed board bows.  I've made a handful of slefbows with no trouble (I'm also probably better at tillering than when I did the backed bows).  I like to go a little leaner on wood than a lot of the guys. I love a BL selfbow 63" ntn, 1 3/8" wide.  Takes heat very well.  Hmm.... theres a BL stave over theere right now...


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Offline richpierce

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Re: Black locust
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2008, 11:37:22 am »
It's a great wood.  Even straight trees can hide some twists, knots and snakiness inside but as said above, it takes heat really well if you need to straighten it.  I've made 6 bows so far and 3 are of black locust and I have been harvesting more staves as I really like it. Two came in at 45 # although I wanted 50 because I find tillering flat bellied bows challenging, but my next will come out the weight I want.
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Offline Badger

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Re: Black locust
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2008, 12:24:21 pm »
Excellent bow wood, I would recommend getting a lot of limb working and get it working right out of the fades. It can chrysal but when made right they are fast and beautiful. Steve
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Offline Loki

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Re: Black locust
« Reply #6 on: February 04, 2008, 03:15:10 pm »
I've got one drying i'm busting to get stuck into!
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Offline Hillbilly

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Re: Black locust
« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2008, 06:09:55 pm »
BL is excellent bow wood (and excellent firewood  :) ). It was the go-to bow wood for the natives in my area. It will sometimes chrysal if you hinge it or have an uneven tiller, but that 's just because it's so tension-strong. Making a trapezoidal cross section helps.
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Offline DanaM

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Re: Black locust
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2008, 09:19:35 pm »
Wish it was more common up here, but I've found 3 different houses that have it growing in their yards,
sounds like a midnight raid in the making eh >:D
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Offline ricktrojanowski

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Re: Black locust
« Reply #9 on: February 05, 2008, 12:40:32 am »
B.L. is about all I have around here on Long Island.  Iv'e got some staves drying as I write.  I was wondering if a short 58" ish D style would be ok for locust.  I thought if the handle was bending it may have less of a fretting problem.  Is this correct thinking or is that too short for locust.
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Offline El Destructo

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Re: Black locust
« Reply #10 on: February 05, 2008, 12:46:05 am »
Quote from: DanaM on February 04, 2008, 09:19:35 pm
Wish it was more common up here, but I've found 3 different houses that have it growing in their yards,
sounds like a midnight raid in the making eh >:D

Dana....I have a Buddy that keeps Pipeline Right of Ways clear off trees ...and He has asked me if I wanted any of what He cuts...and He cuts quite a bit of Locust...Honey and Black...they use it here for Wind Breaks...just like Horse Apple....if I can find some nice ones....I will drop one by the Ole Treatment Plant this Fall when I come back for da Sal-Mon( Texas pronunciation!!) Tourney......
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Offline bootboy

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Re: Black locust
« Reply #11 on: February 05, 2008, 05:03:48 am »
Is it good wood???
when the archer God cries his tears turn into black locust trees.....he's generally a sad god I would imagine due to the prolliferation of the species.
...Guess his girlfriend left him. MAN ITS GOOD WOOD!
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nailbender

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Re: Black locust
« Reply #12 on: February 05, 2008, 05:22:39 am »
 Does black locust grow in the northern states? Minnesota to be exact. The way everyone is raving about it makes me want to find some.
  Dale.
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ozark caveman

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Re: Black locust
« Reply #13 on: February 05, 2008, 09:14:50 am »
It's awesome wood! I wish I could get more. I've only had one stave :(
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Offline DanaM

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Re: Black locust
« Reply #14 on: February 05, 2008, 09:43:07 am »
yankee that would be awesome and much appreciated ;D

nailbender were probably in the same boat, it will grow this far north but its usually a decoratibve tree in someones yard >:(
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