Best bow woods in compression?

[Red Dwarf]

I am going to give a backed bow another try , after a couple of spectacular failures with hickory on elm!

What would be the top half a dozen or so bow woods when looking for something that is strong(flexible) in compression to match with a hickory or bamboo backing?

Red Dwarf

[bcbull]

 my choice is ipe  or osage good luck

[Dano]

My choice would be osage or ah osage 

[radius]

i have also had some great success with hickory backed OSAGE ORANGE

in my room i can see...right now...about 7 or 8 hickory backed osage orange bows of different styles...all successes

[Ryano]

I've made nice hickory and bamboo backed osage, black locust,hhb and maple. You just need to adjust the design of the bow to fit the type of of wood you use.

[adb]

osage, osage, osage... then yew, ipe, or maple. Did I mention osage?

[radius]

yeah, i think you did!

[Rich Saffold]

Ipe,osage, yew, hickory.

[radius]

so far i haven't had great luck with maple...seems to come in underweight all the time, dangit!

[Coo-wah-chobee]

Ipe, snakewood, osage, yew, hickory.....bob

[Ryano]

Hickory's actualy not to good in compression but great in tension.

[snedeker]

Osage, yew, a bunch of the tropical hardwoods (massuranduba, bubinga, etc).   Mesquite.

Black locust is great with hickory backing but you wouldn't say it is strong in compression.

[adb]

I'd have to agree with Ryan... hickory is a great wood, but far excels at tension than compression. My #1 choice as a backing wood.

[JackCrafty]

As a general rule, the heavier the wood (per cubic foot) the better the compression strength.  Heaviest woods:

Domestic:
Ironwood (HHB, Desert Ironwood, etc.)
Dogwood (except osier)
Serviceberry
Osage
True Hickory (pignut, mockernut, shagbark)
Oak (live oak, swamp white)
Black Locust

Imports:
Ipe
Bubinga
Bulletwood (Lignumvitae, kaneelhart, etc.)
(many others)

[grantmac]

I've been using Eastern Red Cedar and it is a joy to work with, but it does require a very careful tiller. Otherwise it's been all Ipe for me.
       Cheers,
               Grant