Author Topic: Favorite wood  (Read 9314 times)

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Offline lotojarich

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Re: Favorite wood
« Reply #30 on: May 03, 2008, 03:37:35 am »
I got 4 pyracantha billets that I rescued out of my wood pile from a huge bush that I cut out last fall (my hands are still healing from the rescue  ;D). They look great and seem to be tough as nails. If they turn out they will be my favorite so far. I haven't seen a pyracantha bow yet either. Otherwise my ipe seems to be nice! I like how thin they turn out! Rich
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Offline Kegan

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Re: Favorite wood
« Reply #31 on: May 03, 2008, 03:19:13 pm »
Seems Osage is a favorite. Is it because Osage just has such excellent cast, or is it also an aeshetic thing too? I'm reading Torges book, and he has only the highest praise for Osage above all other woods.

Offline 1/2primitive

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Re: Favorite wood
« Reply #32 on: May 03, 2008, 03:51:34 pm »
I would have to agree with Steve, that there a lot of woods coming in for second, but Osage takes the lead. I would have to say that for me, it's partly that I like to make D-bows, and a hard wood like Hedge allows me to make tham with narrow handles anyway. And it's the easiest really hard wood to get for me.
    Sean
Dallas/Fort Worth Tx.

rattlesnake

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Re: Favorite wood
« Reply #33 on: May 03, 2008, 04:30:43 pm »
hickory, ash, black locust,......would enjoy osage but we dont have any around??...snake

Offline Marc St Louis

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Re: Favorite wood
« Reply #34 on: May 04, 2008, 12:06:06 am »
On the average it would be a toss up between Elm and HHB.
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Offline El Destructo

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Re: Favorite wood
« Reply #35 on: May 04, 2008, 12:10:16 am »
Gawd..I wish I could get my Hands on some HHB...I may just have to cut some this Summer when I go Home....and haul it back in my Shelby......My Brother was supposed to cut some for me last Winter....but He ended up having Back Surgery....and never could get to it........ >:(
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Offline NTProf

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Re: Favorite wood
« Reply #36 on: May 04, 2008, 03:30:43 pm »
I am a newbie, and I have only used 4-5 different woods, but so far maple is my favorite (though my stanley surform wants to gouge it).

Offline El Destructo

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Re: Favorite wood
« Reply #37 on: May 04, 2008, 04:39:41 pm »
I am a newbie, and I have only used 4-5 different woods, but so far maple is my favorite (though my stanley surform wants to gouge it).

Try a Draw Knife ...or my Favorite...a Ferriers Rasp....won't gouge at all with the Rasp.....
As a species we're fundamentally insane. Put more than two of us in a room, we pick sides and start dreaming up ways to kill one another.Why do you think we invented politics and religion.
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Do Or Do Not,There Is No TRY
2024...We Will Overcome

Offline Hrothgar

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Re: Favorite wood
« Reply #38 on: May 04, 2008, 08:16:19 pm »
Ash to work with; osage and mulberry to shoot.
" To be, or not to be"...decisions, decisions, decisions.

Offline shamus

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Re: Favorite wood
« Reply #39 on: May 06, 2008, 08:18:22 pm »
Favorite wood? Hard to answer with just one. I like a lot of them for different reasons. The most important thing is to match the proper design to the species of wood. With that aside, some woods that I like:

Osage: high compression and tension strength. VERY durable. Resistant to rot. Beautiful.

Red Mulberry: Osage's cousin. Same benefits, but to a lesser degree. While not as springy or as dense as Osage, it seems to grow straighter and have thicker rings. My workhorse bow is a red mulberry bow.

Pacific Yew: light as a feather, resistant to rot, makes a great bow. Easy to work. Beautiful. Very hard to afford/find quality staves (I have my stash, though).  Easily dented, and  little sensitive to cold weather.

White Oak: strong in tension. Easy to work. Grows straight. Plentiful. Dense. I see it as hickory without the moisture retention problem. It's becoming my favorite whitewood.