Wood selection - infl on mass wt, hand shock etc

[Matt Green]

Ebony is a popular wood for risers - yet more $$. However, i've heard coomments about it being heavier and making a bow more stable, less shock. who has expeirence with this?
1. how much (1/4 lb, 1/2 lb etc) can the riser wood make -
2.  Does the ebony (or other heavy wood) make a differnce in 'dead in the hand' factor?
3. What wood is too light for riser?
If you have compared bows with light vs. heavy weight risers due to wood choices, tell what you think. Tempting to offer advice without experience from multiple simlar bows - how 'bout you who have made side by side comparisons??
thx
mgreen

[Flying Dutchman]

If you are talking about longbows, I think you would not notice much difference. I don't know about recurves.
If you want more mass it is a good idea to add a bowquiver. My longbow weeights around 1 lb and by adding a bowquiver it becomes twice as much.

[Matt Green]

Was referring more to recurves. Considering buying one and i like the look of ebony but it costs somteims an extra 100-200 dollars. I'd not pay this just for looks but if it helps the shooting i'd consider it. Anybody else, is a heavy wood worth the extra? What are other woods that might be heavy but not cost extra. What about others that might be too light (Myrtle???) for a riser?
mg

[JamesV]

Ebony is not the only heavy wood used in risers. I like IPE, heavy, strong and beautiful if used with the right accents.

[snag]

The heavier the riser the more still in the hand has been my experience. Of course the design of the bow plays a big part as well. It's kind of like if you hit a baseball with a bat made out of a soft wood vs. a hardwood bat. There will be less sensation fed back to your hands with the hardwood. Myrtlewood is hard, but not heavy.

[Rob DiStefano]

i see where the context is about recurves, but interestingly, in a conversation i just had with david miller, the opposite is what howard hill and other notable bowyers/archers prescribe for longbows - soft woods for risers.  why?  less 'handshock' than denser riser woods.  myrtle was a favorite of howard hill and john shulz, and is what david prescribes as well.

[Friend]

Some woods that may make a discernable difference for longer risers when switching from lower mass wt such as Maple(44 #'s/cu.ft.) or Bocote(40 #'s/cu. ft.)

Snakewood....................81 #'s/cu. ft.  
Kingwood.....................75 #'s/cu. ft.  
Blackwood African........75 #'s/cu. ft.  
Cocobolo......................68 #'s/cu. ft.  
Ebony Macassar............68 #'s/cu. ft.  
Desert Ironwood............66 #'s/cu. ft.  
Curupay.......................65 #'s/cu. ft.  
Macawood...................64 #'s/cu. ft.  
Ebony..........................63 #'s/cu. ft.  
Ipe..............................62 #'s/cu. ft.  
Dymondwood..............60-75 #'s/cu. ft

[Matt Green]

So, if myrtle is HARD but NOT heavy, it woudl reduce handshock - correct? I suppose the quetsion woudl be HOW MUCH - is the difference worth the extra $$$ for some of the exotics which might be more expensive. DEsign of hte bow - fully agree - assume two bows of exact make (even suppose same take down limbs are used) but one has heavy ebony and ht eother has myrtle - ANY discernable differnce - if so: enough to pay the extra $$$??
thanks for the input. Am considering and out of character move- getting a new custom bow - likely a once i a lifetime deal for me - i prefer ot save $$ by getting used bow.s
again - thanks in advance.
mattG

[Rob DiStefano]

typically, myrtle is a softer wood, like white pine.

[Stumpkiller]

You could do like Ben Pearson did with the Mercury and imbed metal in the riser.

I don't think you can have "too light" of a bow.  You can have one that is too light for some people's tastes, but some appreciate a light bow.  Weight adds stability, stability limits maneuverability.  Different bows for different folks.

[Bjorn]

Frankly I wouldn't get hung up on heavy riser wood for 200 bucks-take the girlfriend or wife to dinner instead.

[jess stuart]

Probably fine to spend the extra money if you so choose.  I don't think it would make a huge difference in handshock etc. I feel the design is much more important.  I don't believe a heavy riser is going to cover up much.  As stated a bowquiver will add weight for allot less.  Pearson Mercury hunter man that brings back memories I had one back in the early seventies.

[Crash]

Best bet is to talk to the bowyer, they know their bows better than anyone.

[Matt Green]

Thanks folks. Some good input.  It woudl take a lot to spend 10% more (200dollars) for sometihing like ebony unless it made a hug difference. Too many woods look exceptional and don't cost extra.
tnanks
mg

[Rob DiStefano]

i'm with bjorn - none of that really matters, there are many other more important considerations before the genus of riser wood ... imho.

[Bowwild]

A bowyer with whom I have a 58" recurve on order told me my choice in woods would make less than a 4 ounce difference, on his design.  That said, I like a heftier feel without having a log in my hands. The list by Friend above is very interesting!  Two of my favorite woods (more for looks than weight) are Macassar and Cocobolo. I see that they are also on the heavy end of the scale which makes me like em even more!

I have two identical weight Robertsons, one the Pearce Point and the other solid myrtle.  the solid mytle in that bow has little more feel to it than the cocobolo Pearce Point, most of my Hill styles are myrtle, and one cocobolo. On those the only difference is the weight.