sassafrass bow staves

[bluejack]

Just scored on a nice sassafras log-after splitting and sealing it looks like some slight propeller twist in the future. Is sassafras worth messing with and what should I be doing in the drying process?

[willie]

how soon do you wish to make a bow with it? how big are the staves/

if you were to reduce the stave to  closer to bow dimensions but keep thickness and width the same and monitor for checking, drying could go quicker

[bluejack]

willie, no big hurry to work on sass. staves. The tree was about 9 inches in dia., I got 4 nice staves 72 inches long. Hope to let them dry for about 1 yr._just never tried sassafras before.

[bassman211]

Bows have been made from it, but it a brittle wood. I tried 3, or 4 times with no luck. Wider ,and longer should make a bow with mid poundage. Mine were all short bows. Never bothered trying it again after not being able to get one to hold up.

[Eric Krewson]

Some people have luck with the wood, I didn't in several attempts. Like any bow wood, growing conditions can make it or break it as a bow wood. What I tried to use was fast growth trees from the end of a cleared field, the wood was soft and splintery.

[hammerstone]

Maurice Thompson lists it as a good bow wood in The Witchery of Archery . The Thompson's built English style bows and, I've read elsewhere that it can be used for English style bows.

[Aksel]

I´ve seen some amazing looking bows from this wood on paleoplanet years ago so I encourage you to try!

[bluejack]

Well once this sass. is dry I think I`ll give it a try. Thanks for the input guys

[Pappy]

I have a good friend that has built a lot of bows from Sassafras , he built mostly English style long bows, usually 70 inches or so and shot about 28 inch draw, had good luck with them, they held up fine, took some set but other than that shot great. Beautiful wood and just the smell alone is worth giving it a try.
 Pappy