Honey Locust backing needed?

[Gaur]

Hi all,

I'm working on a set of honey locust billets.  Wondering for those of you with experience with this wood have made self bows or it its better to back it.  I have some linen I put on some maple and oak boards and wondering if its needed.  I'll get up a picture or two when I get it chased out better.  There are a few small knots and its pretty wavy.  Length:  I can get 64" if I use take down sleeves to join them.

Thanks,

Randy

[Hrothgar]

Randy I have only a little experience with honey locust. Its a beautiful wood though and pretty easy to work with it. I made a plains style flat bow, leaving  most of the sapwood on--which is a mistake--and then backed it with rawhide. I  back everything with some material just to keep pieces from flying should one break. Linen is a good, light weight material and can be applied with titebond glue.

[rossfactor]

I made an unbacked honey locust bow. 62 in long and Draws about #45 at 28 in.  The wood likes to chrysal, but it still shoots 5 years later.

This is a bad phone pic.



Gabe

[rossfactor]

oh yeah, I left a 1/8 layer of sapwood on.  Don't know if that caused in issues, but it sure was beautiful!

[Gaur]

Thanks for the replies.  I have taken the sap wood off and am chasing a ring.  It seems pretty hard but a bit brittle compared to say osage.

[ol dog]

Guar, With careful tillering you don't need to back locust. Most problems with locust occur in the form of fretting on the belly. You were correct in going to a single ring.

[Gaur]

thanks we'll see how it goes.  Might be a candidate for my bow trade bow.  It has some nice bends and knots fitting for PA.