Wood id???

[Jakesnyder]

I am still new at harvesting my own bow wood. Can someone tell me what wood type I got here?

[bradsmith2010]

I'm g ping to guess,,hickory,..but I'm not that good at id

[bassman]

That is walnut. Makes a good bow.Build it wide ,and long at first. It heat treats well. It is low mass wood that draws smooth, and makes a good bow.

[Dances with squirrels]

That's pretty small in diameter isn't it? Young hickory trees usually have smooth bark. Not sure what that is. Any more pics? End cut? Branches? Tree shape?

[Dances with squirrels]

Yes Bassman, it does look like walnut. I have a few nice ones growing in my backyard.

[Pat B]

I'd say walnut too. It should have a specific smell to it. Also, is there any heartwood?

[Jakesnyder]

It is pretty small. Like 4" diameter. It does have in the very center a dark walnut color. Thanks guys. I've been trying to work with what i got instead of going out and buying a beautiful looking stave. So sap wood walnut will make a bow? Is it weak in compression or tension?

[Jakesnyder]

So I guess a bendy handle is out of the question

[Pat B]

A bendy handle would be perfect. Actually you might be able to split it in half and make 2...but don't get greedy. One is always better than none. 

[bassman]

Has a thick outer growth ring.I  cut it green,and get it down to floor tiller so I can put it on a four inch back set form.Line the tips to the riser ,and take twists out by heat treating ,and clamping to the form. I let it dry in my basement on it,s own. When dry I again heat treat it ,and take it of the form. Tiller like you would any white wood, and when your done heat treat it again. It will look  a bit like a Gull wing design with little to no set.It is a softer wood that will ding easily, but makes a good bow when done properly, and built wide ,and long it is still  light in the hand , because of it,s a low mass wood. I have made a lot of them, and never had a break, but did have some that took to much set  until I learned about the wood.HEAT TREAT IS VERY IMPORTANT.

[Jakesnyder]

So How wide does the limbs have to be? Alot of woods that suffer from compression issues can be fixed by widening the limbs but isnt there a balance between the draw weight your trying to reach and the length of the bow? Like maybe a 50lb @ 25in wouldnt work with with walnut at 50in ttt. But maybe at 60in long ttt it would not be stressed to the point of failure (although it might not be a fast shooter). Does that make sense to anyone? Am I correct?

[bassman]

If your draw is up to 27 inches you can be 2 inches wide at the fades to a little past mid limb ,and then tapered to 5 eighth,s at the tips 62 to 64 inches long.The last 2 that I made was a 58 inch long 45 lb bow that was 2 inches wide at the fades tapered to 3/4 inch wide at the tips.The other bow is 50 lbs, and 55 in length, and 1 and 5/8 wide at the fades  tapered to 5/8 wide at the tips.Both have less than 1/2 inch set.I did the last 2 bows with multiple heat treat.It took a while to figure out how to get the most I could get out of that wood, but in the end I am satisfied.It"s not Yew Or Osage ,but built right makes a nice bow, and one you can trust.I have a short draw so I make them what ever length the stave would give me. I have made them 64, 62,58,55,52 inches long etc.Just my experience with Black Walnut.

[Jakesnyder]

Well I'm partial to bendy handle bows and shoot pinch grip style! Alot of controversy over the whole shooting style used by the natives (half eye has it right!) But that's a whole other topic. So i short draw at 24in with my pinch grip instinctive style shooting.
Bassman. The first design you mentioned is not a bendy handle correct? Can you do 1 5/8 at the handle and fade to 5/8 at the tips?
Also did the natives use it? I'm from western pa and most all tribes from this area used white wood and mainly hickory.

[bassman]

You can easily make a bendy handle pinch finger bow from walnut. For the first bow I would still keep it 2 inches wide at the fades if you are making it short . I am also from Western Pa.Not much info on natives using it for bows. Can only assume they did at one time or another. Sudbury bow was made from Hickory, and most likely their choice of bow wood for Eastern woodland bows along with Oak and some other hard woods that were their for the taking.

[Jakesnyder]

Got it! Thanks bassman and the others!