willow... willow everywhere

[Joec123able]

I would probably try it, but more for fun than anything. I doubt a willow bow would last long.

[SLIMBOB]

Yes, aspirin. Acetycalicylic acid.  Or something close to that.

[paco664]

the bark of the white willow was used by the native americans... it was boiled to make a tea... cures aches and pains... headaches... etc...

now it is chemically made and called aspirin...

[cadet]

Make cricket bats with it.

[Marc St Louis]

The Willow up here, sometimes called Diamond Willow, is short and stunted but it is a fairly strong wood and is stronger in tension than it is in compression.  I have wanted to try it for a few years, just didn't get around to it yet.  The chemical in the bark is called salicin and it breaks down into aspirin in the body

[sleek]

Maybe it will make a good backing material? Throw some intop of some hickory and see?

[WillS]

I've got a friend who's made willow bows up to 90lb which are still shooting.  Try it.  Become your own expert

[PEARL DRUMS]

This type of thread has came and went so many times over the years. I always chuckle.

[George Tsoukalas]

I never made a bow from willow so I hesitate to comment. The picture of the bow I saw in TBB 1 (?) seemed long and was intentionally whip tillered.

I'd rather use a more common bow wood. It takes me over 30 hours to make a bow so I like to stack the odds in my favor.

Tim Baker says it is a non bow wood but  can make a bow under these conditions.

http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/47641/List-of-Potenial-Bow-Wood-Species-With-Comments#.V63XUq4hjYc

I did go through a bow making stage where I voraciously went through new to me woods and some not so new to others but those days are gone.

Jawge