Black locust question

[Grunt]

I was dragging out some old black locust logs today to cut up for firewood. The logs have been outside in a pile for a good fifteen years. There was one good straight one 12 feet long and twelve inches in diameter. The outer three inches is shot but down in the log there is some nice fat latewood rings. I split the straight one into quarters and the quarters into eighths. Anyone have any experience using black locust that has been stored outside and cut this long?

[jeff halfrack]

   I  made  a  decrowned  flat  bow  from  a  bl  fence post,,,bow  is  long  gone out of  state,  as  long  as  there are  no  bugs  go  for it!!!!   as chaseable  ring  on  locust  is  hard  to  come  by  ,,, for  me  at least  go  for it , it's   my   favorite,,,next  to  hickory.  JEFFW

[aero86]

id be willing to try one out and let you know!

[Hrothgar]

As long as the borers didn't get into it, and you are using the heart wood, I would give it a go. Good luck.

[Pat B]

I made a bow from a fence post that the barbed wire had rusted off. It had been in the ground for probably 50 years or more. It made a pretty good bow as I remember. If the wood looks sound it probably is.

[Grunt]

Ok guys, I will start chasing one of those nice fat latewood rings. If I get a bow I'll post it here.
Thanks for the replys.

[Qwill]

I really like black locust, with provisions. I have not had good luck with higher draw weights, and of all the woods I have followed one ring to get at the heart, (osage, mulberry, elm) BL is the absolute worst. The ealry and late wood layers can't be trusted to seperate nicely. I have pulled up fibers of latewood underneath the earlywood I was carving through, so go slowly. But BL does respond well to heat treating I have found, and I have a couple of very nice Cherokee style longbows around 45# that I shoot.