Experience with Serviceberry???

[Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive]

I've got a couple serviceberry staves that I collected while in montana. They are very well seasoned and I'd like to make a Blackfoot-type styled bow since that was a common bow wood for them.  Serviceberry does not grow very big and therefore has a high crown.  anyone with any experience with it??? should I sinew back it or not back it?? it will be a short bow drawing about 22"

[adb]

Is service berry the same thing as saskatoon berry?

[DarkSoul]

Run a search for "service", "serviceberry" or its scientific name. I'm sure there must be some hits.

[bow101]

Here is the link, it expalains all  http://www.nwplants.com/business/catalog/ame_aln.html

~101 over & out~                 

[Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive]

thanks 101  but there is nothing about bow making in there!

[bow101]

Oooppsss.....   Um ask Zion he has built a few.

[Joec123able]

Never heard anything bad about service berry most people who use it seem to love it.  How long are you planning on making it

[Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive]

shortbow. 52-54" and hopefully upper 50's or 60# @ 22"

[Joec123able]

Well if you make it that long it should work fine I have a Osage bow thts 48 inchs long with a stiff handle and I can draw it up to 22 inchs max so at that length you should be fine

[loefflerchuck]

I've made a few little sinew backed plains style bows of it. Performs alot like chokecherry. Even with the sinew back count on some string follow, but takes quite a bend. i have a draw of at least 1/2 the length on all the serviceberry bows I have made. Makes a good backed bow

[Dauntless]

I've got some serviceberry (I call it Saskatoon, but there's mostly Yanks round these parts) that has an SG of 0.90+

I have had a piece splinter from the high crown and another chrysal from being too green. I say decrown a bit and sinew.

[Zion]

High crown isn't anything to be worried about. Good 70# bows can be made outa 3/4" saplings.

It does really good with short designs. 24-25" draw with 54" ntn is reasonable, with 70-80-90# draw weight.

Sinew isn't needed at all since it's such a strong wood. If handled right it will make great bows every time. If it is dried too quick it will raise large splinters, or if the piece isn't good.

If you're going for 22" draw, you could make a bow 50" with static handle. Heat-treating the limbs will pretty much prevent it from taking set.

How heavy would the bow be?