A buddy of mine who builds a few bows each year is in the process of choosing wood for his next longbow. He's looking for very dark black wood. Most of the ebony he has seen seems to have to much brown in it. Anyone heard of moon light diamond wood or a very black diamond wood? If anyone has other suggestions for a black wood with a similar appearance as the Bob Lee Double Blind only natural, please let me know.
Phenolic
He would prefer to use wood I guess.
Gaboon Ebony = Black!
(http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj125/kbneal2002/HHCarbonTembo.jpg)
(http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj125/kbneal2002/HHCarbonTembo2.jpg)
Also African Blackwood - has kind of a purple hue about it but is jet black!
I'll second the Gaboon Ebony. It is BLACK.
Mike
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/scattershot/IMGP2648.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v103/scattershot/IMGP2642.jpg)
A couple of Hills, with Ebony risers. Doesn't get any blacker than this.
Even Gaboon can get some brown in it as well. African Blackwood would be your other option as others have mentioned. I've seen a product that makes almost any other wood black as well, work by oxidation if I remember correctly. I think I've seen it at Rifle parts and gunsmithing web-sites (Brownells?). Don't recall what the name of the product was unfortunately.
There's a diamondwood made from ebony. I think it's called "midnight diamondwood." It's kinda the best of both worlds -- wood impregnated with plastic to resist changes in water and temp.
Knife, any idea where you can get the ebony diamondwood?
No, but I think it's a special order item from the folks who make diamondwood. That's my impression after talking to Jim Neaves of Centaur Archery (we discussed using it in a bow for me).
I've seen some Bob Morrison bows with the midnight dymondwood. Maybe he could help you find a supplier...Mike
here's a couple pics of midnight ebony dymondwood
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y106/lgmarshall/dbl%20carb/centaur015.jpg)
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y106/lgmarshall/dbl%20carb/centaur004.jpg)
Larry,
I think that is the type wood he is looking for. Any thoughts where he might obtain a piece for a riser?
Here's the riser from my Groves Mag III. It is made of black phenolic. The accent stripes are white fiberglass. The bow has been thru a lot and the riser is as good as it was day one. Tough stuff.
(http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Arrowworks/Blackgroves.jpg)
I've seen Shrews and Robertsons with the black Dwood, might do good to contact them.
Eric
Jim Jones who makes the Firefly TD longbow takes a hickory riser and stains it jet black. He told me how he does it but I dont feel at liberty to say. It's pretty sharp and if I have him build me another that is how I'll have him make it with bamboo and black glass.
http://www.braveheartarchery.us/Stock5-2w.jpg
http://www.braveheartarchery.us/Stock5-1w.jpg
Anyone have a picture of an African Blackwood riser
Thanks Lucas