Selfbow Wood

[Hoodoo]

What can anyone tell me about Hickory and/or White ash?
Thanks

[Pat B]

Both will make good bows with proper design and execution.

[whitewoodshunter]

I've used both to make several bows with the proper design.

[Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive]

hard to go wrong with either. forgiving, plentiful and reliable.

[Pappy]

Good wood,both. Keep it dry as you work it and it will make a fine bow.I do alot, and help
with a lot made of Hickory and it is tough wood.
        Pappy

[nickf]

they will work well, both are pretty hard to break, especially hickory (I've heard)

Nick

[George Tsoukalas]

Hickory is a great wood when kept dry both before and after it's a bow. I've had a lot of trouble with ash chrysalling  but that's probably my fault. Jawge

[DCM]

Hickory works.  Haven't used much ash, but regard it as "hickory lite."

[Hillbilly]

I've used both. Never had any problems with ash chrysalling myself. Ash tends to take a bit of set, but makes a good bow. Ash is a joy to split and work. Like Pappy said, keep them both good and dry while you're working them.

[snedeker]

I've used both, and have had a lot of problems with hickory going bad. I don't know it its the central PA humidity or what, but I've cut and split hickory, stored inside right away, and in a year it was full of little bug holes with dust falling out.   I've had kiln dried hickory lumber go punky stored inside (and not in a damp basement or the like).  I have given up cutting it.

Dave

[JackCrafty]

I like hickory...it burnshes up nice and can take a lot of abuse (if it's dry).

Ash...I dunno...I would put it in the same class as red oak.  I keep seeing that ash was used quite often by Native Americans (as well as hickory) so perhaps there are (or were) some good ash trees out there.  The white ash I get at the lumber yard has been brittle in my experience.

[TRACY]

Many fine bows have been made with both woods.

[Sidewinder]

Seems like the Europenas like the ash alot as thats what they seems to have alot of. I like the yeller stuff myself but then again I live in the land of the yellow brick road. My first several bows were hickory and I like them well enough. Grain is beautiful but it seems as if they get sluggish in the humidity. Unless I am making someone a wall hanger or moving to the desert I don;t think I wil fiddle with it anymore. I ahve'nt worked ash yet but would give it a try if I could identify it in the woods while I'm harvesting osage. I suspect that heat treating  could reduce the set possibilities.   Dnany