Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: chasing crow on June 14, 2009, 08:57:27 pm

Title: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: chasing crow on June 14, 2009, 08:57:27 pm

Help Oh Knowledgeable ones,
I am totally new to bows in  general. I have read Bowyers Bible 1 & 2 some Primitive Archer back issues and other info. I can't remember seeing if Dog Wood is a decent bow wood. I know it can be used for arrows. Any help is appreciated as I have a tree i intend to cut anyway.
Thanks,
Chasing Crow

Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: mullet on June 14, 2009, 09:07:05 pm

  It will make a nice bow. Like a lot of whitewood, it will want to twist while it is curing. You can take tis out or leave it when tillering, or steam it out. Wet heat works better for me straightning whitewood than dry heat, (heat gun). All you have to do is remove the bark, don't worry about chasing a ring and then make a bow.

Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: chasing crow on June 14, 2009, 10:01:27 pm

Mullet,
Thanks for the info, it's good to hear. I will definitely give it a try.
Chasing Crow.

Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: Pat B on June 15, 2009, 12:04:17 am

Steve Parker(Hillbilly) made a dogwood bow within the last year or so. Do a search for that and Steve will probably chine in with details.

Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: Pappy on June 15, 2009, 06:23:34 am

GregB also made a nice dogwood bow,It won BOM in May you can look there also.I have made several a few years back and it works good. :)
 
   Pappy

Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: chasing crow on June 15, 2009, 07:03:40 am

Thanks Pat & Pappy,
Sounds like I definitely have a place to go for the right info & help. I can hardly wait to get started!

Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: DanaM on June 15, 2009, 07:17:19 am

Never made a dogwood bow but yup it makes a dandy, dogwood is some tough wood, one caution is it will check easily when drying so seal the stave well.

Can also make knapping billets from it :)

Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: Hillbilly on June 15, 2009, 07:40:22 am

Greg's BOM dogwood a couple months ago was killer, you can find pics of it in the BOM forum, probably. I have one almost finished from a stave Pat gave me, and so far I'm really impressed with it. Heat treatment seems to work well with it, too.

Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: GregB on June 15, 2009, 07:56:17 am

I really like my dogwood bow and how it performs...I shot it at the Cloverdale shoot this past weekend. Like any wood, you need to make sure it's dry. :)

Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: Canoe on June 15, 2009, 08:16:33 am

Howdy Group,

Are you guys talking about the bush - like, Red Osier Dogwood?  Or, is there a tree called Dogwood?

Thanks,
Canoe

Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: Hillbilly on June 15, 2009, 08:30:02 am

Canoe, we're talking about flowering dogwood, Cornus florida. It's a small-medium sized tree. It's extremely common in the Southeast and lower Midwest, but I dont think it makes it up into Wisconsin. It's common growing wild in dry woods, plus it's one of the most popular ornamental landscape trees in the country. Flowering dogwood is the state flower of NC.

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Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: smokeu on June 15, 2009, 01:37:40 pm

I have seennice ones like the guys said<<< you could do a search and probably find a few more... Best of luck to you

Mike

Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: chasing crow on June 15, 2009, 09:48:20 pm

Wow,
Thanks everyone! I really appreciate all the information. I am sure I'll need your expert guidance once I get started.
Chasing Crow

Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: hedgeapple on June 16, 2009, 01:18:08 am

I've been wanting to cut a dogwood stave since I saw GregB's BOM.  I spent a couple hours Saturday morning searching the family farm for one that would make a bow.  They were either bend (like the tips touching the ground) knarly with larger limbs forking out everywhere or too small.  I'm going to keep looking.  I should have had my lazy butt out looking for them when they were blooming.  Sure would have my the search easier.  haha

Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: Hillbilly on June 16, 2009, 07:15:14 am

Yeah, it's not easy finding a straight one.

Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: hedgeapple on June 17, 2009, 03:05:13 am

I was at a state park campground a couple weeks ago.  There were 8 or 10 dogwoods around my campsite that were 3" diameter, 15+ feet tall and straight as an arrow.  I drooled over them all weekend.  I hope my beer slobbers didn't peel their bark.  haha

Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: Christophero on June 17, 2009, 02:50:04 pm

I got to handle GregB's Dogwood bow at Cloverdale and he was right proud of it and had every  right to be.  His workmanship is outstanding. 
I, too, only thought of it as an arrow wood.  Much to learn, yet.

Title: Re: Dog Wood Bow?
Post by: smokeu on June 22, 2009, 10:06:27 am

Tell me about it, Ive been on constant look out to no avail. lol