Two White Oak Board Bows (In Progress)

[Threy Cameron]

Hey everyone.

Been a while since I last posted so thought I'd do an update. I finally got my hands on some American White Oak boards with good grain. I've been in the process of making two recurve bows (I would consider one to be more of a flipped tip though). They've currently been floor tillered and heat treated over coals and are now rehydrating for 3 more days (6 in total) just to make sure their safe to flex. I've induced 4 inches of reflex in one of them, most of it concentrated at the tips whilst the other is around 2 and a half inches. It'll be an interesting test of my tillering skills and a great first test of White Oak. I'm filming the whole process and will be uploading it to YouTube when their completed. I have also gotten my hands on some tanned beaver tail to make a handle or two from so that'll be a new experience.

I will hopefully be getting my hands on some Black locust staves sometime in the future too fingers crossed.

[Hamish]

Looking good. 2 mighty fine rocket launchers in the works.

[RyanY]

I’ve only made a couple white oak bows but I really liked the wood. Surprised it’s not used more. Those look like they’re off to a great start.

[Burnsie]

How thick did your board start out, it doesn't appear you had to glue on a handle?

[Threy Cameron]

How thick did your board start out, it doesn't appear you had to glue on a handle?

These boards were 2" thick or 50mm. I personally like to choose deeper boards so I can chase a ring as the boards aren't cheap. Hence I like to give it the best chance of success and the most room for error.

The other bow has a thinner handle due to being chased to a thicker but deeper ring. I'm going to be gluing some Osage on the handle to give me some more room to shape the grip how I like.

[Threy Cameron]

I’ve only made a couple white oak bows but I really liked the wood. Surprised it’s not used more. Those look like they’re off to a great start.

Maybe because in America their over shadowed by Hickory, Osage, Yew and the other amazing woods over there?. It does seem like a good durable wood so far and takes heat treating very well as the bowyers bible had mentioned.

Here in NZ good bow wood is much more scarce than America though. We do have pockets of good species if you know people and where to look. I am looking into a few Black Locust staves hopefully and did manage to get my hands on some Osage by some miracle.

[JW_Halverson]

I’ve only made a couple white oak bows but I really liked the wood. Surprised it’s not used more. Those look like they’re off to a great start.

Maybe because in America their over shadowed by Hickory, Osage, Yew and the other amazing woods over there?. It does seem like a good durable wood so far and takes heat treating very well as the bowyers bible had mentioned.

Here in NZ good bow wood is much more scarce than America though. We do have pockets of good species if you know people and where to look. I am looking into a few Black Locust staves hopefully and did manage to get my hands on some Osage by some miracle.

White oak has earned a good reputation for a reason. Definitely superior to the red oaks, and some say it is less susceptible to losing cast in higher humidity than the red oak, as well.