Mulberry bow blank from hedge hunter

[Pat B]

Mulberry lends itself well to tempering(fire hardening).
 I think the narrower width is why it took set. 1 3/4" to 2" at the fades would have been better.

[Selfbowman]

I have  a 38@28 Osage bow I am going to test against the mulberry. These bows  are within 1/2” in length and almost identical width measurements. The Osage weighed  24.4 oz. the mulberry weighed 20.2 oz. I have a arrow that will be shot as close as possible to 28” through a chrono . The Same arrow will be shot  from both bows  and average the shots. I’m curious. Coming soon . The arrow weighs 384 gr. Spines for 40# bow.

[Selfbowman]

Pic

[superdav95]

Eagerly waiting for test results. 

[Selfbowman]

Ok I will test the bows later today. Any predictions? Will the extra mass in the Osage win or lose?

[Muskyman]

I guess we’ll see if Osage is king 

[Selfbowman]

Ok I put both bows on tiller tree and weighed them at 12” draw, 20” draw , and 28” draw. The Osage 12” draw 6# , 20” draw 23#, 28”36# , 29”38#
The mulberry 12” draw 5.6#, 20”draw 23.6#, 28” draw 38.6#
That’s as close as I could get the two bows. Now for the speed check.

[Selfbowman]

Ok Osage shot 36# @28” 154fps , at 29” draw it shot 163 this was shooting the same arrow three times at each draw length.
The mulberry at 28” draw was 38.6 and it shot the same arrow an average of 159 fps

[Selfbowman]

Interesting the two are almost dead even for all practical purposes. The mulberry kicked in at the 20” draw point. This may be due to the extra mass in the Osage. So Dave this might interest you with the hickory.

[Selfbowman]

Was the Osage bow over built??? Maybe slightly on the outer limbs.

[Hrothgar]

My first shooter was from a mulberry stave, despite all the mistakes I made with it the result was a comfortable sweet shooter. Regrettably I moved on to white woods after the next 3 mulberry staves were riddled with borers. You're working a first class bow!

[bjrogg]

Sorry can’t help you there Arvin. I have a mulberry with a ring chased but I never got at finishing it yet. Be interesting to see what you think of it.

Bjrogg

[Pappy]

Glad to hear the Mulberry preformed well Arvin, I have built a few and they were all snappy light in the hand bows. I don't really measure set but they didn't take much. Not many mulberry trees here , I think I have 3 on my farm but don't really want to cut them, the ones I built was gifted to me by and old friend from OK. Came out of his sons front yard. Mine were all 1 1/2 at the fads to mid limb then tappers to the tips 62/64 N-N. with flipped tips.
 Pappy