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Author Topic: Sassafras  (Read 19646 times)

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Offline NorthHeart

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Sassafras
« on: February 11, 2018, 10:04:51 pm »
I have a stave Weylin gave me(thanks buddy)!  I was told its Sassafras its the most amazing wood ive ever smelled.  I wasnt sure it was gonna work due to some end checks and rotted area near the handle but now that i removed the area in question it appears i have a nice piece on my hands that obviously wants to be a bow.  The most questionable area was the knot and wavy grain so i made that the 7" the stiff mid area.  Youll notice a bit of brown on the back in that entire area, thats where i heated it knowing it wouldnt be bending there much and i did this to get the tips to align.   Its 60" and a little over 2" wide.  I chose a thick ring and chased it like it was Osage.  I heat treated the entire belly.  One limb had reflex naturally so i added reflex into the other.  I was thinking of rawhide backing it with one or two layers.  I have only ready a couple threads on Sassafras and noticed they kept it wide all the way down the limb until the tips.  Was hoping for yalls advice.  Is the reflex ok?  Heating the belly i hope was an ok idea?  What should my belly look like flat or rounded or hollow??  Theres a really cool stripe running down the side im pretty excited to be working with a new (to me) species of wood.  Lets see if i can manage to make a bow from it.
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Offline Badger

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Re: Sassafras
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2018, 10:12:42 pm »
   How dense is the wood? You might want to consider that in your design. I have never worked with sassafras so have no idea how elastic it is. 
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Offline Springbuck

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Re: Sassafras
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2018, 11:02:44 pm »
 I don't know sassafras either, but that's a pretty shorts stave for a stiff handle flat bow,  At least for most woods.  However, it looks very clean, the back ring smooth and well-worked, your reflex is nicely distributed, and the handle isn't longer than necessary, etc.  You are going to get something good out of it, I bet.

You have MY interest.

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Offline Jim Davis

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Re: Sassafras
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2018, 11:12:26 pm »
Sassafras is very soft and brittle. I predict an exercise in futility. Don't like to discourage, but I'll be surprised if you get 30# out of it. It is not bow wood.
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Jim Davis

Kentucky--formerly Maine

Offline tattoo dave

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Re: Sassafras
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2018, 10:29:36 am »
240M,

Sassafras is awesome, just not for making bows. I did manage to make one a few years ago, but it was really long, bendy handle, and very light draw weight.

Good luck, let us know how it works for you.

Tattoo Dave
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Rockford, MI

Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Sassafras
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2018, 10:56:10 am »
I would agree with Jim and Dave. Although, last year at the Marshall event I was handed a very short, sinew backed static that pulled 90# plus and looked great. I question whether I was truly holding a sassafras bow because it was too heavy in hand, sinew or not. I think the fella was mistaken, but I cant prove it. Often times you ask 100 bowyers if a certain wood is good and 99 tell you, "no". Then there is that one who says its wonderful bow wood. I don't buy that :) There isn't magic bowyer dust available that can make one bowyer build incredible bows from suspect wood while the rest of the bowyers fail.

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Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline PatM

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Re: Sassafras
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2018, 11:03:23 am »
"Mulberry, sassafras, bois d'arc, southern cedar, black locust, black walnut and slippery elm, are valuable woods, in the order named."

Check out this recommendation. He's got it ahead of Osage! ;)
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Sassafras
« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2018, 11:31:22 am »
That's one F'ed up list, Pat!
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Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline Badger

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Re: Sassafras
« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2018, 12:05:19 pm »
  Pat, I have to wonder who made that list. Some people have a hard on for osage and love to list woods ahead of it. As far as I am concerned osage and yew are both right at the top with osage being considerably tougher but yew being a bit faster.
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Offline PatM

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Re: Sassafras
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2018, 01:55:12 pm »
   History, guys!

 It's a quote from The Witchery of Archery.

 The next sentence says that no native woods can compete with the English made bows, particularly those of laminated Hickory and tropical timber.  Thompson's favorite was Snakewood backed with Hickory.
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Sassafras
« Reply #10 on: February 12, 2018, 02:13:11 pm »
Kinda' like being taught the history behind Chris Columbus "discovering" America :)

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Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline PatM

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Re: Sassafras
« Reply #11 on: February 12, 2018, 03:06:26 pm »
Quote from: Badger on February 12, 2018, 12:05:19 pm
   Some people have a hard on for osage and love to list woods ahead of it.

  This seems contradictory.
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Offline PEARL DRUMS

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Re: Sassafras
« Reply #12 on: February 13, 2018, 06:23:29 am »
Like the word, bad. It can mean bad or it can mean good depending on how you use it and how you say it. Its a Merican thing :)
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Only when the last tree has died and the last river has been poisoned and the last fish has been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.

Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Sassafras
« Reply #13 on: February 13, 2018, 07:59:58 am »
I made one from it long ago and craved root beer while making it.
I made it wide.
Jawge
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Sassafras
« Reply #14 on: February 13, 2018, 09:37:56 am »
I think sassafras was one of Will Thompson's favorite bow woods if I remember correctly.
 I made a few sassafras bows early on in my bow building but I don't remember anything about it.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC
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