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Author Topic: Sassafras??  (Read 2570 times)

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Offline HickoryBill

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Sassafras??
« on: February 01, 2011, 09:56:22 pm »
Anyone here ever make a usable bow from sassafras. If so what style worked the best? And what dimensions?
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"He who hesitates usually misses"
"All you really need to make a bow and arrow are some sticks and a deer carcass"
Bill Stockdill
Clarion County Pennsylvania

Offline jeffhalfrack

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Re: Sassafras??
« Reply #1 on: February 01, 2011, 10:03:30 pm »
  My  Buddy's  been  making just  flat  bows  from it no  sap wood,  and  they  are  good  shooting  bows!!  nothing  at  all  like  I  read  and  he's  using  mostly  stone  tools   they  don't follow  the  string  and  are  faster  than  you  would  think   go  for  it  JEFFW
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Offline HickoryBill

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Re: Sassafras??
« Reply #2 on: February 01, 2011, 10:06:19 pm »
He doesn't use the sapwood? Does he chase a ring on the staves?
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"He who hesitates usually misses"
"All you really need to make a bow and arrow are some sticks and a deer carcass"
Bill Stockdill
Clarion County Pennsylvania

Offline Postman

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Re: Sassafras??
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2011, 12:15:29 am »
I haven't , but there was a cool article recently in PA about a lightning-struck tree that gave up a sass stave.  He turned into a sweet bow. I can't find the mag, but i think it was a standard flatbow, around 68" or so long.
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"Leave the gun....Take the cannoli"

John Poster -  Western VA

Offline Pat B

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Re: Sassafras??
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2011, 12:58:43 am »
That article was just last year I think, Postman.   There was another article in an older PA titled "You can't build a bow with sassafras" or something like that. It turns out he could!
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Kegan

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Re: Sassafras??
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2011, 10:47:18 am »
I made a couple ELB style sassafras bows backed with cloth. It's a great wood for long D bows because it's so light. I think so long as you do something to help the back hold together it should make a good bow.
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Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Sassafras??
« Reply #6 on: February 02, 2011, 11:08:55 am »
Yes, I made a flatbow from it. I made it about 2.5 in wide. Jawge
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Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!

Offline HickoryBill

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Re: Sassafras??
« Reply #7 on: February 02, 2011, 09:41:16 pm »
Would cherry or birch back backing be a good choice for a sassafras bow?
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"He who hesitates usually misses"
"All you really need to make a bow and arrow are some sticks and a deer carcass"
Bill Stockdill
Clarion County Pennsylvania

Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Sassafras??
« Reply #8 on: February 02, 2011, 10:04:09 pm »
This was awhile ago. I used silk. I backed it because there were ring violations form the bark removal. The rings were too thin to chase but I tried. Smelled like root beer. :) Jawge
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Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!

Offline HickoryBill

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Re: Sassafras??
« Reply #9 on: February 02, 2011, 10:09:33 pm »
Should it be split and sealed right away?
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"He who hesitates usually misses"
"All you really need to make a bow and arrow are some sticks and a deer carcass"
Bill Stockdill
Clarion County Pennsylvania

Offline Bevan R.

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Re: Sassafras??
« Reply #10 on: February 02, 2011, 10:40:40 pm »
Made a couple of bows from a sassafras board. Backed one with hickiry and the other with purpleheart (for some unremembered reason). Both are wider and longer than a denser wood but shoot just fine and you will LOVE working the wood. Only sawdust I look forward to sniffing  :D
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Bowmakers are a little bent, but knappers are just plain flaky.
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