Ours family has a small ranch in Northern California and we have a bunch of Walnut trees on it. The trees are 60 to 70 years old and from time to time in the pruning process we take some fairly large limbs. The root is Black Walnut but the tops are an English graft and bear the nuts.
My Question is will the English make a bow? I've seen lots of bows made from the Black but can't remember seeing English? I have a never ending supply of English (makes crapy firewood, very dirty burn) so I'm curious???
In the picture you can see the graft at the bottom...
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/walnuttrees.jpg)
No idea, but those are some funky looking trees.
Those are some freaky trees.
What does the wood of English walnut look like?
I was going to ask what happened to those trees! :scared: :confused:
English walnut is a beautiful wood. I'm not sure of it's suitability for bow building, but you could get some nice risers and veneers out of it.
Dave.
When cut and split the English is white with some dark streaks. I have never milled any of it but it split very easy. we used it but burned it green in combination with dry oak or madrone. If you didn't your fire box would be full in a couple of days.
(http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c210/coaster500/EnglishWalnut.jpg)
Never tried english walnut, black walnut is good if built right. Tim Baker says this about english: European .56. Design as per Black. Not as pretty, but makes a nice bow. Strong enough in tension to tolerate being a backward bow: the crowned sapling surface as belly, the split back surface tillered.
Im sure its fine.
Thank you.... we'll have to see what we can find next trip to the ranch :)
I need to buy a set of Traditional Bowyers Bible.... been putting it off since I found you folks :)
If the wood has good figure, English Walnut is worth an absurd amount of money. Absurd as in $300 for a riser sized chunk!