OAK

California black
SG .57

Southern red
SG .59
Click here to see more about Red Oak in a later, more detailed post.

Northern red, sessil, pin, bur
SG .63

Scarlet
SG .67

White
SG .68

White oak is about as close to unbreakable as wood can be. In my bend tests it breaks after hickory. Bows I've made of white oak took large sets without much excuse. On the other hand, I haven't been able to break a bow made from this wood. One was steamed into 6 of reflex. When tillered it took 7 of set, standing at one inch of string follow at 55lb, and equaled the cast of any equal-follow bow. Of several white oak bows, from several different trees, the one that stayed straightest was fine-ringed, high-percentage early growth. Quite strange. One correspondent reported less set in his white oak bows, others report similar set. White oak is extremely strong in tension. (TB)

Swamp white, Oregon white
SG .72

Live
SG .82

Semi-ring-porous. Our heaviest oak, and the only non-ring-porous oak. (TB)

Sources:
Choosing Woods by Tim Baker (TB) Unless noted, SG figures are from Choosing Woods by Tim Baker.
Poor Folk Bows (PFB)
Virginia Tech Denrology