Wood core in composites.
Hello
I am wondering about the importance of the wood type used in the core of a hornbow. As I have understood the wood core is a sort of framework that provides stability and a surface to glue the horn and sinew on.
Is the sort of wood of great importance? I have read that a lot of the experienced bowyers on this forum use maple or bamboo in the core depending on which style of bow should be.
Is it any other sorts of wood that work well in the core?
I can fairly easily get hold of ash, juniper, birch, or pine in the area where i live. Does any of these wood types work well?
Grateful for answears
Sigurd.
I am wondering about the importance of the wood type used in the core of a hornbow. As I have understood the wood core is a sort of framework that provides stability and a surface to glue the horn and sinew on.
Is the sort of wood of great importance? I have read that a lot of the experienced bowyers on this forum use maple or bamboo in the core depending on which style of bow should be.
Is it any other sorts of wood that work well in the core?
I can fairly easily get hold of ash, juniper, birch, or pine in the area where i live. Does any of these wood types work well?
Grateful for answears
Sigurd.
Stonethumb
Not every kind of wood is usable.In China,people consider wood from mulberry family to be perfect for a hornbow(Tricuspid Cudrania is the best.Pity that I don't know how to paste a picture.).Bamboo is also used.
As I know,birch is a good choice for hornbow. Some Amercan bowyers use ash for selfbow,but I don't know much about it.Pine is not acceptable.
Not every kind of wood is usable.In China,people consider wood from mulberry family to be perfect for a hornbow(Tricuspid Cudrania is the best.Pity that I don't know how to paste a picture.).Bamboo is also used.
As I know,birch is a good choice for hornbow. Some Amercan bowyers use ash for selfbow,but I don't know much about it.Pine is not acceptable.
Stonethumb
I look up in Chinese archers' blogs.They say ash is only for selfbow
because it is too heavy and it splits easily.
May you a good luck,man.
I look up in Chinese archers' blogs.They say ash is only for selfbow
because it is too heavy and it splits easily.
May you a good luck,man.
Thanks for the informative answer.
I listed the three sorts because all of them are used in self bows here in Norway.
I will try to get hold of some mulberry or bamboo... :D
Sigurd
I listed the three sorts because all of them are used in self bows here in Norway.
I will try to get hold of some mulberry or bamboo... :D
Sigurd
Mulberry is a large family of woods with a rubbery sap that accept the shearing stress ar the core well. You could try any of the family. Double-walled bamboos will also do the job. Pine, ash, oak, birch and the non-mulberyy fruit trees are no good.
Sound advice. I could only add the best hardwoods are diffuse-porous species, with growth rings barely showing. Working with such wood is much easier.
Adam
Adam
Here in the UK, lemonwood is a very popular wood for longbows, and besides ash, it is probably the easiest bow-wood to find here. Does anyone here have experience with using lemonwood as the core for a Turkish or Indo-Persian type bow, or know if it would be suitable? It is extremely close grained, but I have never heard it mentioned as a bow-wood by anyone discussing horn bows before. I am hoping to use lemonwood in the core of my next bow attempt, as all other woods I can find are incredibly twisty.
Regards
Mike
Regards
Mike
M Hardman
In an ancient book for hornbow making<<考弓记>> ,a kind of wood from orange family is included ,but I don't know the species.Strange enough,it is not mentioned by bowyers in the centuries that followed.
In an ancient book for hornbow making<<考弓记>> ,a kind of wood from orange family is included ,but I don't know the species.Strange enough,it is not mentioned by bowyers in the centuries that followed.
Nowadays in sandwich construction end grain wood is used. According to several tests it is stronger that way than longitudinally laid wood.
I wonder if any transversely cored bows are known?
TM
I wonder if any transversely cored bows are known?
TM
Just to let you know, I have used lemonwood in my core, so you will find out if it was a good idea soon enough.
Wu Kai, thank you for that piece of information on orange wood, unfortunately though, I'm not able to read chinese, so the original text will be a bit beyond me.
Regards
Wu Kai, thank you for that piece of information on orange wood, unfortunately though, I'm not able to read chinese, so the original text will be a bit beyond me.
Regards
M Hardman
The book is also beyond me ,because it is written in ancient Chinese.HA HA!
I am glad to know you are on the way to make your hornbow.My first hornbow was just sinewed.It is with black locust siyahs ,mulbery and bamboo handle ,bamboo core.
The book is also beyond me ,because it is written in ancient Chinese.HA HA!
I am glad to know you are on the way to make your hornbow.My first hornbow was just sinewed.It is with black locust siyahs ,mulbery and bamboo handle ,bamboo core.