Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: kevinsmith5 on March 05, 2013, 10:39:34 am

Title: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: kevinsmith5 on March 05, 2013, 10:39:34 am
In working on a hickory backed ipe longbow it occurred to me that the sanded but unfinished stave superficially resembled a yew stave. The ipe I'm using is relatively light in color so right now it's more reddish than brown, though I know from experience it's going to get much darker when I put pretty much any finish on. But it has me thinking....I have to make a bunch of ELB's for some SCA combat reenactors and was wondering if anyone had a combo that would look like yew when finished? I thought about Osage heart wood, but cost wise that would be prohibitive. Plus they are limited to 35 lb draws at 28" and I think making one like that of hickory backed Osage might well look like a very long shish-kabob skewer....

Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: Cardboard_Duck on March 05, 2013, 10:59:31 am
Maybe hickory backed ERC?
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: Pat B on March 05, 2013, 11:08:40 am
Mulberry with a few sapwood rings left on.
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: autologus on March 05, 2013, 12:00:32 pm
How about yellow pine with a poplar backing.  >:D  ;)

Grady
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: blackhawk on March 05, 2013, 12:13:49 pm
At that low of a weight I might just use a one piece of hickory or red oak board and dye it to make it a "look a like"...those cheesy reanactors won't know the difference frolicking around in there man tights  ;D
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: kevinsmith5 on March 05, 2013, 12:18:11 pm
I was a little surprised to hear that all their rules say is "35 lbs"....I mean the first bow I made for one of them was a reflex deflex hickory backed ipe and speed wise it was pretty darn fast for its draw weight. You'd think they'd have more specific rules covering speed as a opposed to draw if they're gonna shoot them AT EACH OTHER....
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: kevinsmith5 on March 05, 2013, 12:26:41 pm
How about yellow pine with a poplar backing.  >:D  ;)

Grady
I think it might need to be a bit more "shootable" than that....
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: PatM on March 05, 2013, 01:08:35 pm
Maple/Cherry
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: AH on March 05, 2013, 01:25:19 pm
hickory or maple backed jatoba? maybe the jatoba is a bit too red... ???
I'm thinking about making a maple backed jatoba war bow.
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: autologus on March 05, 2013, 01:34:17 pm
How about yellow pine with a poplar backing.  >:D  ;)

Grady
I think it might need to be a bit more "shootable" than that....

So explosions on the battlefield are frowned upon huh?

Grady
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: kevinsmith5 on March 05, 2013, 01:58:04 pm
How about yellow pine with a poplar backing.  >:D  ;)

Grady
I think it might need to be a bit more "shootable" than that....

So explosions on the battlefield are frowned upon huh?


Grady
I'm assuming so, yes.
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: Jmilbrandt on March 05, 2013, 03:51:16 pm
I really like juniper heartwood backed with hickory. Although the difficulty of finding good juniper would probably stop you from making enough for a reenactment.
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: kevinsmith5 on March 05, 2013, 04:53:11 pm
Juniper would be hard here on the east coast. So far ERC seems most likely. I think they need a total of six bows for their group....it may be more eventually so I would want to go with a combo I'd be sure of being able to get access to more of. Maybe dying the belly of a hickory backed hickory is the route I'll have to go.
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: The Gopher on March 05, 2013, 04:56:26 pm
ERC is Juniper
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: Jmilbrandt on March 06, 2013, 05:59:48 am
Yes it is, but not the juniper i was referring to I should have been more specific. I'm not sure the purple in erc would be a good substitute for yew. I was thinking a more like the one seed I use with dark orangish brown heartwood.
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: Cardboard_Duck on March 06, 2013, 07:40:48 am
I guess the ERC might be a little dark, but it is close.

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8222/8340415010_0b1f8ceefc_z.jpg)

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8084/8340415702_9585891def_z.jpg)
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: Sidewinder on March 06, 2013, 09:21:57 am
Hickory backed Black locust maybe?
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: medicinewheel on March 07, 2013, 03:58:22 am
hickory or maple backed jatoba? maybe the jatoba is a bit too red... ???
I'm thinking about making a maple backed jatoba war bow.

Hickory backed Jatoba; this one came out nice, but a warbow I think is not a good idea with that combo.
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: kevinsmith5 on March 07, 2013, 08:14:44 pm
Not sure 35 lbs fit in the "warbow" class....
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: Newindian on March 07, 2013, 10:35:36 pm
Ashe juniper is pretty close, could just use the sap wood if you feel comfortable with it
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: AH on March 09, 2013, 11:51:09 pm
hickory or maple backed jatoba? maybe the jatoba is a bit too red... ???
I'm thinking about making a maple backed jatoba war bow.

Hickory backed Jatoba; this one came out nice, but a warbow I think is not a good idea with that combo.
ah, I was looking at fair bow's war bows (which I am aware don't have the greatest reputation) and came across this hickory backed jatoba war bow. I thought that I might try it since Jatoba is just about the bow-suitable tropical hardwood here in the CA Bay area, and I want to make a laminate war bow before I make or break the nice yew I've got.
here's a video of the fair bow jatoba war bow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqTkFI4M8Ig
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: TacticalFate on March 10, 2013, 12:05:16 am
Buckthorn's pretty close :P
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: mikekeswick on March 10, 2013, 06:14:52 am
Ash backed maple. I've seen it done and they don't look bad.
Title: Re: Yew "look a like" combo?
Post by: Josh Shuck on March 10, 2013, 10:47:35 am
My favorite yew look a like is Marc St. Louis' ash backed yew.   :P