Bow wood - Privet?

[Titomas]

Hi, I have broad-leaved privet growing in my back yard, and a 5 foot trunk has emerged that's about 15cm diameter, nice and straight with no side branches. Could it be suitable for bow making? Thanks for your advice.

[longbowinfected]

Great for causing you allergies just walking near it. I suspect a really good respirator and extraction fan might be a really good idea.

[Hamish]

I have seen it made into bows. At 5ft its getting a bit short for a bow unless you give it wide limbs, it might also need decrowning.
You could also splice billets.
I haven't made a bow from it yet, but I have worked the wood.
Cut it down, split it into halves or quarters depending upon the design of the bow. It splits quite easily with wedges. Remove the bark. You can use the wood just under the bark for the back. Make sure you coat the back and end grain with white pva wood glue, as privet likes to crack if not sealed(2 coats). Work in to a bow shaped blank with extra width left at the tips, work it so it is floor tillered, and it should dry pretty quickly.
It is a really pretty very pale white wood, firm which works well with edged tools.
Hamish.

[Titomas]

I know privet is a disaster for the Australian bush, which is why I'm keen to end its life and resurrect it as a beautiful bow.

Thanks Hamish for your detailed advice. If I can't work on it right away would it be bad to chop it down and just store the pole as is, or perhaps best to leave it in the ground to grow some more (and being careful to remove the berries annually so birds don't excrete the seeds in bushland)?

[Hamish]

If you can't process it like I described leave it growing. If you cut it and leave it as a log without quartering it will crack indiscriminately even with the bark on. It needs to be stored out of the weather once cut as its not rot or bug resistant.
Hamish

[Titomas]

Great - thanks Hamish.

BTW, do you know anything about black palm bows from PNG? I have a couple of very old ones which are as tall as me and strung with bamboo. One of them has lifted grain on the back - should this be left alone as an ornamental artifact, or can it be restored to full use?

[Hamish]

Hey, I know a little bit about PNG palm bows. I would keep it as a wall hanger, if it has pulled a splinter on the back. Even though they are long bows they are seldom made to take a full draw of the average westerner. I can remember seeing a tv show with some white guys drawing some palm bows, and snapping them. Of course everyone laughed but I remember seeing the face of the native bow owner, he was laughing but underneath was sadness and disappointment that comes with the knowing of how long it took to make that bow with simple hand tools. Whilst they are good bows, PNG bows are also made in a much more humid climate than most of Australia, and are likely to be a bit on the brittle side, especially if old.
Those bamboo strings/knots are really amazing.
Hamish.

[Titomas]

Thanks Hamish - yes, I pulled the string just a little but when it creaked I had premonitions of trying to hide two sticks of black palm. LOL. Wall hanging it is!