Cypress wood

[Ga Waters]

Any thoughts on using cypress to make a self bow?

 

[trial&error]

Pretty low on the list, but possible. https://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/bow-woods/

 

[Redbow]

I have never used Cypress for a bow I don't know if it will work but I agree its possible. I have made self bows out of white and red cedar, they work but will eventually crack or mine did. I cut an evergreen tree years ago I have no idea what that wood is called but it made the best self bow I have ever made and it grows in wet areas. When I took the bark off and let it dry it had the prettiest white wood I have ever worked with. I still have it today it shoots fine and still pulls about 45 lbs.

 

[Ga Waters]

I've used wild cherry, hickory, and black walnut so far but I'm still very much in the learning stage. Getting the weight right is one of my problems. Very enjoyable way to spend time though.

 

[Redbow]

I've used wild cherry, hickory, and black walnut so far but I'm still very much in the learning stage. Getting the weight right is one of my problems. Very enjoyable way to spend time though.

Don't ever use Cocobolo wood, its from SA and I think Mexico also but its harder than woodpecker lips. I made 2 bows out of it and ruined two wood rasps. I still have the Cocobolo long bow but she shorter one broke. That shorter one would sling an arrow at amazing speed though. Purple Heart makes a beautiful bow but its useless for making a self bow.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I would say cypress would be very hard to make a decent bow from. There are much better options. Elm, ash, hackberry, hophornbeam, hickory are common and make good bows. The only two conifer-type trees I was ever able to get a decent bow from are red cedar and yew.

 

[Redbow]

Get an Osage Orange stave and go to work, I have never had a piece of Osage but I should have ordered a stave years ago. At my age I have about had it with bow making. I have a hickory bow that I have formed out and been working on a little at a time for about 3 years. It dried for probably 10 years before I even started working on the stave. I have one hickory stave left in the attic of my shop.

 

[Ga Waters]

Get an Osage Orange stave and go to work, I have never had a piece of Osage but I should have ordered a stave years ago. At my age I have about had it with bow making. I have a hickory bow that I have formed out and been working on a little at a time for about 3 years. It dried for probably 10 years before I even started working on the stave. I have one hickory stave left in the attic of my shop.

I know how that is. My hickory bow I finished last year was started in the 80's.

 

[jdgator]

What kind of wood did the Cherokees and creeks use?

 

[Redbow]

I shortened the hickory bow that I have been working on for a long time from 66 to 56 inches long. I have a couple of bows that are 68 inches long bows. If I can get the tiller right on this one an 18 inch pull will be okay with me. It should shoot an arrow with pretty good speed, probably faster than the long bows.

I don't know what kind of wood the Cherokee's nor the Creeks used, some hickory I would suppose and some wood that NCHillbilly mentioned. I have a bow made of Dogwood and one of Persimmon, both shoot good perhaps the Indians used that wood for bows also. I bought one made of red oak decades ago a long bow it still performs well today.

 

[RedHills]

From (Knapfest)