I normally dont like a hickory backing for a 40# bow....it clearly makes the slower bow than boo. But it does stress the belly less. Its the give and take gamble 😁
presuming both boo and hickory have the same effect although in differing amounts....
it would seem with any backing that has a different stiffness than the belly, that "how much" is just as important as "what"
This right here is the line that is drawn between the boys and the men! Anyone can make a bow. Some of them will figure out how to consistently make bows that don't break. A rarer bunch will figure out how to make bows that shoot well, and can consistently turn out a quality product.
And it comes down to learning the trade-offs. Give up a little here, get a little there. Learning that give-and-take isn't an easy process because you have to make plenty of mistakes along the way. Those that come in with the mindset believing there is a "best" are badly handicapped. They cannot let go of this desire for "best" and it's false promise of the "one true way". Baby, this bow making is a dance!
Simk, I love your posts and the bows. You have an eye for graceful lines and, unsurprisingly, graceful lines are what work best with bending wood. Cheers, brother!
