I offer self-bows in a range of woods, including but not limited to:

 

• British Ash

• American Ash

• American  Hickory

• Oak or Red Oak

• Elm or Slippery/Red Elm

• British Yew

• American Pacific Yew

• American Osage Orange

 

This selection is usually at least partially available, but other woods are sometimes available too.  I always have my eye out for something interesting so it's worth asking me if you have something particular in mind, want something unusual or if you have a piece of wood that you think is suitable.  Some woods are better suited to different types of bow.  The white woods listed above, traditionally used in flatbow designs all over the world for (at least the last nine) millennea, may need backing with other materials to withstand use in a longbow, with its deep, narrow limbs, as the strain is concentrated over a smaller surface in such a design.  In yew, referred to by some Native American bow users as The Chief of the Forest, the sapwood provides a natural elastic backing to the hard heartwood, so it is perfect for longbows (as well as most other types of wooden self-bow).

Backing is often a viable option with a traditional bow, and can result in a powerful and attractive bow.  It can be achieved with various materials; a laminate of bamboo or another kind of wood, sinew, rawhide, silk, linen, hemp, nettle, the list goes on - basically any material with long, strong, elastic fibres running through its length.  I can use various hardwoods for the trim on the bow (such as nock reinforcements, arrow plates or handle risers, for example), or even leather, antler, horn, sinew, metals or mother of pearl.