I discovered today that chestnut tree was in abundance in Apalachian mountains making up for 1/4 of all hardwood.By 1940s it was totally whiped out by a disease.Today only a few trees are standing.
It makes me wonder if it was still in abundance what kind of bow would it make..
Any opinions?
One thing for sure, it would be a pretty one.
When we were building our house about 12 years ago we looked at Chesnut cabinets for the kitchen. Too expensive but beautiful wood.
I have 3 flourishing chestnut trees in my yard that produce 5 to 6 galling ziplock bags of chestnuts every year.
Never thought about making a bow out of them.... Hmmmm
I doubt the Chinese and Asian chestnut trees today would compare to the American chestnut of yesterday. I have a couple of the chestnut crosses, but they don't look like bow stock. I have never read of them being used by the Cherokee or other tribes for bows or arrows.
I know you can get recycled chestnut that came from old barns and mills. Often thought that using some of that in a bow riser or limb veneers would be cool. Do a search and you can find quite a few sources for the wood.
If you want some really good reading and your kind of into American history google "American Chestnut". How important it was to the economy of the eastern United State. And how it fell right into the great depression. Crushing the folks mostly in the Appalachian Mountain range!
Glenn
That was exactly what I was thinking mike.I read that you can buy AMERICAN chestnut from old barns.I really would like to make a custom bow one day using some of that.It would be like carrying a small piece of history.
Someone must have made a bow using some Chestnut.
A bow made with Chestnut would have to have some serious MoJo
You can still find American chestnut trees at some nurseries. The blight still exists, and infects the trees if it is prominent in the area, but the species was not entirely wiped out. There are some trees, that although not immune to the disease, have shown some resistance to it. Although they are infected, they continues to live and produce nuts! Very few still exist in the wild, but it's these few 'resistant' trees that have been utilized in hybrids and the propogation of the species.
Plant some now, and 10 years from now you might be able to find out for yourself!
I encourage everyone to support the recovery of the American chestnut. Did I mention that deer love chestnuts! They, at times, even prefer them over acorns! Plant a fruit or nut tree today, and have good hunting tomarrow.
I have a few peices from a 1800's log cabin I restored(they were used as shimes under the floor joust).Asked a bowyer about building a bow from it and he declined.Don't know why.Seems it would do just as well as any wood w/ proper reinforcement.
I know European chestnut wood, and it's beautiful wood but too brittle to make a bow (trust me I tried all possible wood when I was a kid)
F-Manny
Overbo, Black Widow might do it. I know a guy that had them build a bow using all woods native to our area, it turned out beautiful. Said he checked with several boyers that would not use those woods.
Chestnuts were a #1 food source for wildlife,domestic stock, and people ! Unlike oaks, the chestnut bloomed late (like in june) therefore late frosts did not affect mast production, so it was a steady reliable source. Domestic livestock fattened nicely on it, and dont forget "chestnuts roasting on an open fire" it fed the settlers as well. They old timers called the chestnut bloom "June snow" as there were so many chestnut trees the mountains turned white in June. I would love to se a large chestnut. Supposedly they are still around on the west coast in some numbers.