Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: DuBois on May 25, 2014, 07:28:07 pm

Title: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: DuBois on May 25, 2014, 07:28:07 pm

many trunks coming from one center and has reddish wine colored smooth bark on larger trunks. Maybe 20 feet tall and shaped like a big shrub overall.

Plan to get some if it is worth it. Thought I'd check here since I can't find anything like it. I thought the leaves looked like some kinda dogwood?

Thanks for any help.

Title: Re: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: Crogacht on May 25, 2014, 07:31:43 pm

It KIND OF looks like an alder of some description... but I'm about 15% sure :D

Title: Re: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: DuBois on May 25, 2014, 07:39:26 pm

Just found it online-basswood :(
I have never seen a basswood bow on here so I assume it is not good wood.

Title: Re: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: Crogacht on May 25, 2014, 07:45:49 pm

Well I know alder is not good for bows, and basswood seems even less dense, so you might be right :P

Title: Re: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: DarkSoul on May 25, 2014, 07:53:26 pm

Linden or basswood, in the Tilia genus.
Not good for bows, not for arrows...but it's good carving wood :)

Title: Re: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: Slackbunny on May 25, 2014, 08:40:53 pm

Quote from: DarkSoul on May 25, 2014, 07:53:26 pm

Linden or basswood, in the Tilia genus.
Not good for bows, not for arrows...but it's good carving wood :)

And quite valuable if I remember correctly. The father in law cut one years ago and said he got quite a premium price for it.

Title: Re: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: bubby on May 25, 2014, 08:44:04 pm

it's not good carving wood, it's great carving wood

Title: Re: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: swamp monkey on May 25, 2014, 11:03:19 pm

basswood inner bark makes a beautiful cordage.  I haven't seen any authority say it it would make a good bow string, but the cords are neat and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. 

Title: Re: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: BL on May 26, 2014, 12:43:17 am

I've bought a thin plank of basswood from the hobby shop for some project or another years ago.  It feels about one step up from balsa.

Title: Re: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: Wiley on May 26, 2014, 03:19:01 am

Sounds like a coppiced basswood. If you know any pipe makers I hear it makes for good pipe stems, the pithy core makes them easy to hollow out.

Title: Re: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: zenart on May 26, 2014, 06:24:18 am

Basswood = Premium Carver's Wood. Especially for beginning carvers.

Title: Re: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: dwardo on May 26, 2014, 11:02:09 am

New leaves are good eating too ;)
We call it lime in the UK. Great carving, great sting from the inner bark which is strong and easy to prep. Goof carving wood but pretty useless for anything else.

Title: Re: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: nakedfeet on May 29, 2014, 03:13:23 pm

Basswood. 100% certain.

Good for bow drills. Bad for bows.

Leaves are edible when they're young! And pretty tasty.

Title: Re: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: DuBois on May 30, 2014, 01:25:37 am

Thanks for all the replies  ;)
Wish I had some carving skills  :(
Now that I know what it is I see it all over the place.
At least I know what I will feed the kids next spring  >:D

Title: Re: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: Sidmand on May 30, 2014, 10:02:41 am

I haven't used it, but basswood is highly sought after by the bushcraft folk for making firedrills and cordage.  Maybe you could cut down a couple and throw it in a bugout bag for fire making purposes?

Title: Re: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: Inuumarue on May 30, 2014, 01:16:37 pm

I've always wondered if it would make for a good core wood....   It has a lower crushing strength than ERC but has near twice the elastic modulus at a fraction of the weight...   It's high stiffness to weight ratio and easy working characteristics make it sought after for instrument building. 

Title: Re: Anone recognize these twigs?
Post by: thomas h on May 31, 2014, 05:03:11 pm

looks like cottonwood very little difference.