Best 2 wood choices for a double laminate ELB?

[Longbow_Gold]

Hey Guys

With now being without a bow for about 2 months, I'm already getting bored to tears with not having a bow of somekind to shoot with, and so, I am getting to the point that I'm willing to go for a laminate bow and I'm now wondering which would be the best choice of wood for a double laminate ELB?

I have been thinking of either Ironwood/Osage, but I'm not sure what this would be like to shoot and also, I'm trying to find a bowyer that I can get a price for how much it would cost to have a bow made with a 30" draw @ 45lb

I was looking around on evi;bay and I see there is a guy on there making ELB's with various wood combination, including Ash/Hickory/Ironwood, but I've not heard much about Ironwood as regards what qualities or probs it adds to a longbow, as reguard the level of use that you can get or if it is better as a flight/clout bow or if it would be better for target/field archery, etc

And so, I thought it best to ask the many knowledgebl archers on here what you guys would think is a good wood combination for a good all purpose ELB?

Thank you everyone in advance, I really appreciate any advice given

Willie

P.S. If any of you contact details of any good bowyers, then I'd really appreciate it very much, I've already spoken to Pip Bickerstaffe, but am looking to ask a few other bowyers as well

Thank you once again

[steve58]

Somewhere on here there's a thread called something like "wood choices, what is your longbow made of?" Probably worth a search. I have two Bickerstaffes and am very happy with them!

[djthompson]

try yew tree archery's custom bow designer: Yew Tree Archery Traditional English Longbows

A bog standard double laminate hickory and lemonwood, yawn, would be £179 (at 30" with nocks, arrow pass etc)

A top end triple laminate boo, purple heart, osage would be £311.

But something in between, like a hickory back, osage core, a lemonwood back (which bickerstaffe tends to use) would be £201.

Have fun,

D

[Longbow_Gold]

Hey Steve, how are ya buddy?

Thanks Steve, I'm checking the thread out now in the basement on page 1 of the thread list here

EDIT;-

I have been reading what Kae mentioned about bamboo as well as all the other bow wood combinations and it seems very much like the best all round combination that I can see for a good longbow, is Bamboo back - Purpleheart and/or Osage core - Lemonwood Belly

Obviously I'm not going to be in the running for the furthest distance with a 45lb draw weight, but I would certainly like a bow to be as versatile as possible, especially since that I'm not in a position to be able to get a new bow on a regular basis

Hey DJ, how are you?

Thank you for the link buddy, I really appreciate it

I'll get in touch with them and see what price(s) they quote me

Thank you again guys

Willie

P.S. I will have a bunch of 5/16 31.5" ash arrows up for grabs soon, as they are spines for a 35lb and would be no use for a 45lb bow.

12x are self nocked medieval fletched and the rest have got plastic nocks and are fletched for target shooting, all of which have got 100g modbod points.

I haven't decided on a price yet, but I will be selling them as 2 seperate lots and will sort out a price once I can get sorted out with a new bow and arrows.

[jb.68]

I have a Bickerstaffe with osage belly, Hickory lam and Hickory back. It's a pretty good combination, works well for me. My last one was the same, but I sold it to move up in weight. To be honest, in my opinion, Osage is the best belly wood and probably the best as a self bow too.

My personal choice of bowyers would be Pip or Chris Boynton. Can't go wrong with either. Actually Roy King makes some good stuff too from what I have seen and heard. He is up in Blackpool, Chris is Hayes, West London and Pip is up in Kegworth.

All the best
jb

[Longbow_Gold]

Hi JB, how are ya buddy?

I have e-mailed pip for a price and I was looking to see if I could get in contact with Chris Boynton to see what price he would have

I'll check out Roy King as well

I wasn't sure about what wood to select for the belly, but I do know that osage is generally a little better as a core wood, than a belly wood, but I guess it also depends on the quality of the lumber that is used on the bow

I had contemplated on a self osage bow, but the question I have is the life span of a self bow, compared to a laminate bow.

I guess that I'm just looking to get the most bow that I can get, both in shooting quality and life expectancy of the bow.

I was checking out the YTA site and the bow designer page is awesome and I like the fact that you can get a price of the bow on the page once the bow design and selections of wood, nocks, etc have been selected

If there are any contact details for Chris Boynton, Roy King or any other good bowyers, I'd really appreciate the contact info

Thank you once again JB, I really appreciate it buddy

Willie

[englishwarbow]

If I were you I'd get hold of old Ron Palmer, he'll make you a cracking target ELB at a price that won't require a small mortage. My good mate George, who we he can be bothered to turn up, regualry out shoots everyone else (much to there anger because no one really knows who he is) he only ever shoots Ron Palmer bows ( and believe me he is a very fine target archer). Forget the bow wood choice, get a good bowyer to make you a good bow out of the wood he has, trust him and not hear say. Some wood combinations are better than others but the quality is variable, trust a good bowyer to choose what is best out of what is available and you won't go far wrong.

[jb.68]

Hi mate, I'm fine cheers. I have Chris's and Roy's numbers in the van, I'll P/M them to you tomorrow.

I wouldn't agree that Osage is better as a core wood, I think it is equally as good as a belly, but you are right mate it does come down to quality of timber used. I get mine from Pip at a reasonable price. So he has already made a general assessment of what the timber quality is like.

I am just making a new self Osage, 110lb @ 30" so I'll let you know about life expectancy, as for quality of shooting, I have two other self Osage bows that shoot like a dream. They were a bit stiff to start with but as Osage goes on, it becomes sweeter to shoot and with no kick in the hand. I'll let you know what the big one is like to shoot once I have finished it.

Originally Posted by Longbow_Gold

Hi JB, how are ya buddy?

I have e-mailed pip for a price and I was looking to see if I could get in contact with Chris Boynton to see what price he would have

I'll check out Roy King as well

I wasn't sure about what wood to select for the belly, but I do know that osage is generally a little better as a core wood, than a belly wood, but I guess it also depends on the quality of the lumber that is used on the bow

I had contemplated on a self osage bow, but the question I have is the life span of a self bow, compared to a laminate bow.

I guess that I'm just looking to get the most bow that I can get, both in shooting quality and life expectancy of the bow.

I was checking out the YTA site and the bow designer page is awesome and I like the fact that you can get a price of the bow on the page once the bow design and selections of wood, nocks, etc have been selected

If there are any contact details for Chris Boynton, Roy King or any other good bowyers, I'd really appreciate the contact info

Thank you once again JB, I really appreciate it buddy

Willie

[Longbow_Gold]

Thanks JB, I really appreciate it alot buddy

I have been aware that osage is a good all round bow wood, but I thought that it would be a better wood to have for a good flexible, but stable core, especially since a self osage bow seems to carry a higher price tag to have made

It's absolutely crazy though that you have got those beastly osage bows to enjoy, especially the beastly 110lb'er ,

Yes, please definitely let me know how they last as regards life span and if there's a tendancy for any cracks to appear in either of the limbs, etc, as it's something that I want to look into as much detail as possible

Thank you once again buddy

Willie

[jb.68]

Originally Posted by Longbow_Gold

It's absolutely crazy though that you have got those beastly osage bows to enjoy, especially the beastly 110lb'er ,

Willie

It's a tough job, but someone has to do it eh?