Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Papa Matt on September 24, 2008, 12:35:05 pm
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Brothers, I know for a fact you can make a bow out of sycamore, cause I did it when I was a kid several times. And all enlightened bowyers know you can make a bow out of just about all north american woods, it may not be the best or the fastest, and may need a backing, but it will be a bow. But I just read something that disturbed me.
What woods do you think of when traditional pre-european Cherokee bows come to mind?
If you're like most of us, you'll say Hickory, Black Locust, or maybe Elm. How about Sycamore? I just ready that pre-eurpoean Cherokee bow woods were often Hickory and Sycamore. I don't know about the author. Take a look and comment please.
http://thomaslegion.net/cherokee_indians_weapons_and_warfare.html
~~Papa Matt
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Most of what I've read from early explorers and people who lived with the Cherokee and surrounding tribes in this area say that locust was the preferred wood. Others mentioned are mulberry, hickory, ash, elm, white oak, and sassafrass. Don't remember ever hearing about sycamore. I've seen a couple bows posted on here made from it. It seems to be one of those woods that you can make a bow from, but with an abundance of better wood around, I doubt if it was used much in the Eastern woodlands. I live very near the Eastern Cherokee rez, and have met a couple guys there who make traditional bows-even nowadays they're almost always locust.
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That's what I always thought too. Don't know where this guy got his info from. Thanks for weighing in Hillbilly.
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The reason to make a Sycamore bow is because they are beautiful, and since they are usually a little lighter in density just make it longer. This also give you more of this incredibly beautiful wood to look at. It's not the wood to use when developing your skills, but the wood to show you have some serious craft..
I'd recommend 70" 1 5/8th's outside the fades slender pyramid style..
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Matt......Sycamore makes beautiful Native Bows....I really enjoy working with it myself....I have made Cherokee...Wampanoag.....and Hupa Bows with it....and it has some of the most beautiful Grain and highlights you can find....really makes a Springy Light Bow....the wood feels like it enjoys bending and storing energy...... shoots well and works well for me......
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Quarter-sawn sycamore especially certainly is nice-looking wood. I wasn't implying that you can't or shouldn't make a sycamore bow, just saying that it doesn't seem to have been used much by the original people in my area according to historic accounts and the descendants of the people themselves. I've been wanting to try it myself.
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Yeah, I know that you can make bows from it, because like I said, I did several times when I was a kid. What had stumped me was that this particular author mentioned it and Hickory as Cherokee bow woods and said nothing of Black Locust or anything else. As if Sycamore and Hickory were the two primary woods used.
The ones I made as a teenager were in the 25 to 35# range, I never tried to go higher than that in poundage. What's the highest poundage any of you's has ever made or shot in Sycamore?
Thanks for weighing in...
~~Matt
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Its use for bows in the SW around AD 900 has been documented from dry cave finds in N. There, available woods are more limited.
Dave
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Snedeker---"dry cave finds in N" ??? what is N?
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NM ... Sorry. New Mexico.
Dave
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No problem, Snedeker. I wouldn't have thought that sycamore even grew in NM, though. I've always mainly seen Sycamore around water sources. I would have thought that they would be taking advantage of desert ironwood.
~~Matt
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Matt ....I have two Bows in the Closet right now that are 57...and 64 pounds at 28 inches....both made of Quartersawn Sycamore....one Snakebacked....and one Rawhided......both are very nice to shoot...very snappy Bows....
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Never tried it for a bow,but have cut a lot of it for fire wood and you don't want to have to split it.
Tough stuff. I ought to look into it,I have a bunch on the farm good and straight. :)
Pappy
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Cut some and try it Pappy.....if you dont like it.....dont burn it.......I will drive there .....even for $3.00+ for gas .....and get all that you will give up! I like the Stuff
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Come anytime,I have hundreds of them along the creek on my place. I had some timbering done 3/4 years ago and told him to cut them all,he didn't.I hate them in the spring.Now maybe if I build a bow from some of it I might not mind the sneezing and swelled eyes in the spring so much. ;) ;D
Pappy
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Tell Ya what.....I'll trade you the Cottonwoof Pollen for the Sycamore!!!! If they weren't my Shade Trees in the back yard.....I'd cut them all down.....my Yard is white and about 4 inches deep every spring from the Cotton.....what a mess....and the Hay Fever is terrible.....ain't it!!
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When you say "quartersawn", exactly what do you mean?
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Papa, it's the way that the board is sawn compared to the orientation of the grain in the log. Quartersawing often brings out nice grain patterns in wood.
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I see...so that's why Destructo said his were backed, because there was no single ring followed for the back?
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There usually isn't on a board bow. Safe unbacked bows can be made from boards as long as there isn't any major grain runout-a board sawed so that the rings are running through the board vertically is usually safer thatn a plain-sawn one.
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I see...so that's why Destructo said his were backed, because there was no single ring followed for the back?
Matt....on some of my Bows that I have used Sycamore Staves....I have decrowned them to make 2 1/2" wide Hupa Paddle Bows and either Rawhided or Sinew Backed them....or I buy Quartersawn Air Dried Lumber from Bell Forest Products in Ishpeming Michigan
Hillbilly is correct too....Quartersawn brings out the best looking grain in some woods.... and Board Bows are not all that bad....I like them from Air Dried or Green Lumber.....I am not too hot on Kiln Dried....but have made some nice Bows from it too..