hickory board bow

[aruge]

This is a bow I made for my stepson for Christmas. (Just got it done last week) It's about 68" long. It's 1 3/4 "at the fades to mid limb to 7/16"at the tips. It pulls 48# at his draw length of 28". It is also backed with linen. The limbs look kind of massive, but the board was air dried for some where between 10 and 20 years. It was inside all that time and came through the years in good shape, but it weighs almost nothing. It really throws an arrow. I put one through the steel side of the storage shed out back, not intentionally, but it impressed me. Any critiques are welcome. It did take a lot of set, but that doesn't seem to hurt its performance. Take care and God bless

[attachment deleted by admin]

[George Tsoukalas]

Looks food. Congratulations! It does seem to be a bit whip tillered, needing a bit more bending towards the handle area but that may be a personal preference. Jawge

[islandpiper]

Nice looker, bet it shoots.   I have taken to flipping the tips on hickory bows to get around some of the set they WILL take.  piper

[Okie]

Nice bow and great Christmas present (even though it's a little late)

[Badbill]

Nice bow!   Jawge no typing while your hungry.

[Pappy]

Nice looking bow,he should love that.
   Pappy

[GregB]

Nice bow with good artwork. I personally find a more rounded handle on both the back and belly more comfortable in the hand. That area is nonbending, and can take a lot of rounding without ill effect. 

[john.hoare]

Your Hickory board bow looks well finished. I have made and shot a few out of hickory pickax handles. They too have followed the string a little, but I can't fault their accuracy when it comes to speed shooting. Mine are backed with linen only because I cannot source a supply of sinew in France. To eliminate string follow try backing with a thin layer of sinew, too much and you could find your bow in reflex, which does make it a bit more sensitive. As for bow nocks I prefer flax ball bindings to filed nocks, but that's a personal preference...it seems to help the speed? Keep the limbs as wide as possible too, but finish to a point. Johno.

[DanaM]

Congrats on the bow and welcome to the addiction

[aruge]

Thanks, folks, for the compliments and also for the hints. Both are appreciated.  It is a bit whip tillered, but when drawn to 28" it seems to look better. It is only drawn to 25" in the picture. I am going to try flipping the tips on one of the bows I've got in progress. Haven't used heat before, so it's a learning process for me. I like a more rounded handle, too, but this board seemed to want a squarer handle. Franks hands are smaller, too, so it fits him well.  Take care and God Bless,  Al

[TRACY]

Nice job! I'm sure you're step son will love it.

Tracy

[john.hoare]

Argue, The bow I mentioned has a round English Longbow riser about 6. 1/2" long and flatbow limbs about 1. 3/4" going down to a point...much like a pyramid limb. It doesn't bend though the handle and is shot off the hand. With hickory pickax handles try to have the end grain running across the whole handle horizontally. I have made two good shooting bows (backed with natural silk) with the grain actually running off one edge on one limb and it still has perfect tiller, although it follows the string a little. My brother-in-law managed twenty-one arrows out in one minute but could only score with fifteen when the lads were going for the world record speed shoot in Sherwood Forest in 1999. I only use my hickory's on the shorter speed shoot distances and all have a twenty-seven to twenty-eight inch draw at 60#. If your bow doesn't bend through the handle you can use a box or comb joint with two hardwood dowels glued through to hold it. When I back my longer distance bow I will back it with sinew; I have it all blanked out, all I need now is a friendly French butcher who has the sinew...you guys are lucky in the USA. The bow is described fully in my archery games book.
My next project is to build a Bhutanese bamboo bow, which looks easy as the two limbs are stepped one in front of the other doweled and bound tightly to each other at the handle. These they shoot at wand type targets at distances in access of 120 to 130 meters. the bamboo bow looks to be a thin limbed flatbow and about 1/2" to 3/4" thick and cut from a four to five inch diameter bamboo tube...it should be an interesting project and is as primitive as you can get. Good luck with your next project. Johno.

[OldBow]

Got your fine weapon all bookmarked for January BOM fun.