Iron wood for a bow????

[II BYRDS]

i was out checking this log out last night and it is for sure eastern Hophornbeam (iron wood ). it is full of powder post beetle holes. It is definitely a narly piece of wood thats for sure. i will think on what i can use this for in the barn when it is done. maybe i will post some pictures at a later date of the barn and you all can tell what you think i can do with it. i am not putting a fire place in the barn and don't have one in the house to use it for a mantel. i will look on the farm for some more of this wood, i have plenty of Osage and locust so maybe when i get to the point of making a bow i will find one of them to make my first bow out of. lots of work ahead of me before thats possible. the barn is still a 100 year old rock wall thats all most ready for post and beam frame work to go up. thanks all for the info!!!!

[Ryano]

Yep, I regularly kerf iron wood, elm, and sometimes Osage.  Especially on larger diameter tree's. Since your stave is wider than the actual width of the bows limbs you usualy have plenty of wood to left to follow the longitudinal grain later when laying out the bow no biggy. I don't even cut trees that would have enough twist to completley run off a 3" wide stave, I leave those in the woods.

I have had bad luck with hophornbeam and grubs........in fact its the only wood I have had problems with.