Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Selfbowman on November 09, 2021, 06:11:22 pm
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Has anyone used black bamboo for backing Osage. I have some located. Arvin
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Here is a pic.
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Test it first quite a few of the unusual boos i've tried have raised splinters.
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Ok bowanarrow that’s what Japp told me also when I got ahold of him. Thanks. Arvin
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Greetings from Finland, the North-East corner of Europe.
I, with a couple of friends, ordered some black bamboo some months ago from Denmark. Those guys have done some preliminary bending tests and looks like this stuff is weaker than common moso bamboo. I have not seen this bamboo species before so I don’t know how it should look like. Now the colour of the slices inside and core side is grayish or bluish, not white like moso. Looks like molded… perhaps stored too long in moist conditions… or perhaps the colour is normal…
Anyway, I have a test bow just now under process to see how this works. I’m going to make an English Longbow stylish bow: Black bamboo back, European Yew core slice and Osage Orange (from Hungary) belly. My aim is to make it 75” long and some 85 lbs @ 28” with water buffalo horn nocks and arrow strike plate.
Pictures and end result later…
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Thanks I also may try a black on one. Black and yellow might look good . Arvin
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I think Rich Saffold used to regularly use black Bamboo.
The species is related to Moso and Madake.
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I think all bamboo can be good or bad, I got a bundle of the best "looking" Mosa from Franks that I have ever had, every piece failed when I used it for bows.
I suspect where the particular bamboo grew and how it grew would determine it's success or failure rate in bows, much like the wood staves we cut.
I cut Manrake from a patch that that had chickens and goats fertilizing the ground under it for years, I never had a piece fail.
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Here are some photos...
Note: Only three knots in this 75” bamboo slice!
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My black bamboo backed trial ELB stylish bow has now passed tillering succesfully and shows 79 lbs @ 28”. Test shooting, several tens of arrows actually, will tell the final truth. Propably it will loose a couple of pounds if it stays alive. It’s now waiting for new BCY55 string which I have to make and pre-stretch first because of I have no spare ones ready. I’ll add som pics later… ugly it is anyway…
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As promised...
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... and some more... (sorry for the unclear "full draw pic")
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Looking good Lehtis.
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Finally this black bamboo backed bow has got it´s string and it has passed fine the first 100 arrows. Scored 247 with 60 arrows from 20 yards on IFAA 40 cm indoor target after three warm-up rounds to fine tune nocking point. Ugly it is but looks like black bamboo works OK as backing.
Bow data:
74" ntn & 78 lbs @ 28"
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Some more...
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Great topic and thanks to Lehtis showing how it's done! :)
Black bamboo can work as clearly shown here above. I do think that in general it is a little softer than regular moso but that also depends on the quality of the piece. There is a difference between slats of the same species just like wood.
One tip: dry your bamboo for at least 2-3 years and split it when it is green. That way the culm won't have any checks or cracks where you don't want them.
Good luck on your build!
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Doesn't look ugly, to me. Looks really good. Don't sell yourself short.
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:D