50 Lb Black Locust

[M2A]

Thanks Juan.

I have been lucky and have been able to source a good bit of locust over the years. It's been my main source of material since I started building bows. Gave me a lot of opportunity to start a new piece after screwing up until I learned to slow down and take my time. I never know when a logger will deliver more to the firewood processor that lets me have anything that comes threw(timing is usually bad but try and make the most of it), Not sure how much longer I'll have that source but I know of a enough standing trees to keep me busy when the time comes.

I loose interest in a piece if it develops frets, try to learn from my mistake and move on to the next piece. Really stinks when it happens 200 shots into shooting a bow in Fortunately that happens less often now.
Mike         

       

[Juan Ant. Espinosa]

Yes.
It´s also for me the principal wood I use here in Spain. I´ve a bunch of staves I keep replacing everytime I´m in the conuntry from a big mountain torrent. I feel it makes nice bows but also became a challenge to accomplish them.
As I prefer to choose the rings from the year 10 or more because to avoid branch knots from trees first years, I usually have a quite flat back. And now I trapp it in a trapezoid way at every black locust bow I make. And also use a heat gun on the valley.
Since that, more bows get finished without compression lines.