Strightforward wood backing question

[Jefficus]

Understanding of course that different woods are stronger or weaker in tension, would it be right to say that basically any wood that is viable for use as a selfbow can also be used as a backing for one? 

[tattoo dave]

That's a safe bet, providing the grain runs good and straight. Like you said though some woods are stronger than others, so there's some woods that make better combinations than others.

Tattoo Dave

[Jefficus]

gotcha, thanks for the confirmation!

[PatM]

 Within reason. A marginal selfbow wood used as a backing might not fare as well. You could try backing Ipe with Red Oak for example.

[willie]

yes , and maybe even some woods that are not considered good bow woods.

some woods that are considered poor choices for selfbows are woods that do not have good compression qualities, but that says nothing about tension quality.

generally, a wood is considered to have twice or more the tension strength as compression strength