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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: ballen28115 on April 22, 2009, 01:22:00 PM

Title: NC Piedmont: Commonly available self bow woods?
Post by: ballen28115 on April 22, 2009, 01:22:00 PM

Maybe I should have stayed in Kansas where I had access to all the osage a guy could ever ask for.  But I live just north of Charlotte NC now and the bowyer bug has bitten me.  Can anyone point me in the direction of some good commonly available selfbow woods I could find around here?

Title: Re: NC Piedmont: Commonly available self bow woods?
Post by: mwmwmb on April 22, 2009, 01:46:00 PM

i would think that many of the oaks and Hickories would work. dont know what your particular area is like though.

Title: Re: NC Piedmont: Commonly available self bow woods?
Post by: michaelschwister on April 22, 2009, 06:40:00 PM

Osage can be found in the NC/SC area, but it is rare. The best easy to find wood is Pignut (Smoothbark) Hickory. Problem with it is getting it down under 5% moisture, which is essential to getting the most out of its potential. Find someone on this site and hook up on a day trip for osage cutting. You can find a bunch in the northern shenandoah valley near Winchester, and the Tennesse/Kentucky area.