Best designs for black locust?

[old foul dude]

I have 2 black locust staves to work this spring. One will be a Cherokee D bow. I worked the other stave into a blank 72" long X 2 1/2" wide X 1" thick. I've been searching the posts, but most seem to be about osage. Wondered if any of you could give me some ideas on a design other than the D that would work well with locust. How short can I go? Would it make a plains style? I'd like it to be at least 45# when finished. I'm just starting out, so nothing too complex. Thanks

[Ryano]

Black locust is good bow wood. There's any number of designs that will work well. There's so many varibles its hard to pick just one design. You should let the peice of wood sort of dictate the design to a degree. What do you mean by plains style?  How long or short you can go is desided by how far your going to draw the bow and whether you want a ridged or bendy handle.

[old foul dude]

The wood I want to use has a large knot in the center at 42". I don't think I'm skilled enough yet for a peep hole bow. I was thinking of a bow 41" long. I have a 28" draw, but I know I'd have to use a short draw on a bow that short. I saw a picture of a Lakota bow that looked good but it was osage. I would let it bend through the handle. Something simple to carve would be best. I'm learning as I build and break them. Thanks for any ideas

[Hrothgar]

Several years back I made a 48" flat bow from black locust and backed with rawhide. If I remember it draws around 24". I did several things wrong but seem to have gotten away with it. However its is only a wall-hanger. The string I made from artifical sinew and the bow had a tremendous degree of natural recurve, so whenever I tried to string it the bow returned to natural shape--very strong. I refused to use dacron, I was afraid to take off any more wood, so it is a decorated wall-hanger .
If your stave is smaller it probaly has a pretty round back, so that will be a factor to work with. Also be sure you take off all the sapwood or down to the last ring or two. I know this advice isn't much. Good luck, BL is a strong, springy wood when tillered right.

[Hillbilly]

I would make a stiff-handled bow with the big knot in the non-bending section of the handle/fades. That way you should have enough length to get a good flatbow, would be a lot more usable, faster, and accurate than a 41" long bow; unless you're just wanting a super-shorty for some reason. Locust makes a good long stiff-handled flatbow at about 1 5/8" width at the fades.

[old foul dude]

Thanks fellers, I haddn't thought of putting the knot in the handle. This blank came out of a 10" tree, and I,ve got 2 1/2" of width to work with. I already took all the sapwood off except for a couple of millimeters and will let it season in my garage a couple of months. I put bacon grease on the small blank, I might use canola oil on this one.