First black locust

[Jakesnyder]

I just picked up a black locust stave from mike yancey and need some help with a few things. I'm an intermediate bowyer I would say. So I chased a ring and am going to start laying out the shape.  I am going to do my favorite design which is about 1 1/8" wide at the handle and about 3/4" at the tips. Bendy handle and going to flip the tips a little. My draw length is 25" would 60" long be plenty? I like somewhere around 50lb draw.
I believe locust is weak in compression is that correct? So heat treat belly should be in order? Would backing it help at all? Maybe snake skin

[Bob Barnes]

I just finished a 58" sinew backed black locust.  You're correct about compression fractures if you go too narrow and don't watch the tiller closely.  I think it's actually safer unbacked, as far as crysals, if you're talking about a working back like bamboo or sinew.  Snake backing would do nicely though.   Mine is probably 1 3/8" at the fades and thru mid limb before tapering to 3/8" at the nocks.  I did a rigid grip and almost 2" fades...one of my favorite designs.  The reason that my advice doesn't match my bow is due to the fact that I thought I was making an osage bow when I started.  It was an old stave that looked too dark to be BL... your plan should work just fine...

[Badger]

   I don't think it is weak in compression, it just tends to chrysal before it takes set.

[George Tsoukalas]

I cut my bow making teeth on BL. BL shows some regional differences but I can't prove that. I don't think the BL in Northern climates is weak in compression.

I'd go 1.5 in. wide and 62-64" ntn long.

I assume you brought the back to a heartwood ring?

Jawge

[Ryan Jacob]

Jawge
62-64 inches for a 25 inch draw?

[Jakesnyder]

Yea it's worked down to a heartwood ring. It's going to be a bendy handle bow. Why does it need to be so long?

[M2A]

I'd be inclined to keep it 1.5 w like Mr Tsoukalas recommended, to start. Can always tiller from the sides later during tillering if the wood lets you. When I get about 8 inches from desired draw length I use Mr Badger's mass principle to get in the ball park on weight tillering from belly or sides depending on situation.
Snake skin would look sharp on it, don't think anything else is necessary. Just my 2 cents, Mike

[George Tsoukalas]

Ryan, I have about the same draw and I like my bows that length. Jawge

[GlisGlis]

Maybe a little trapping to relieve some compression

[Ryan Jacob]

Jawge
Even bendy handled  Seems like you could push it to do more work

[George Tsoukalas]

Thanks, Ryan. Jawge

[half eye]

One of the staves I sent you is black locust. It is the one with a light colored layer of sapwood on a darker heart. You can take the sapwood down to a thin layer (like a yew bow) and make a very nice self bow from it. I have never had any issues with black locust  as far as compression or tension issues. Never had to heat treat or back them.
rich

[loefflerchuck]

Ryan, I like to make bows of black locust a little longer so they last for reasons stated in this thread. I would go as short as 54" and expect the bow to last years. A lot of people on this site like the stability of longer bows. Like Jawge.

[upstatenybowyer]

The only thing I'll add is that in my experience, a little heat treating goes a long way with BL. It will increase the draw weight significantly.