Another Kids osage

[bigcountry]

Well, Saw flier has inspired me to build my new boy a bow.  I plan on simular dimensions and if it turns out 1/4 as cool as his, I will be pleased.

Here is the youngin now holding a left over piece from my first osage bow.  He doens't know it now, but that lumber will make him the coolest indian on the block in a few years.




Here she is all laid out and bandsawed.  Crooked as a Chicago politician.  She will need some straightening 


I opted to go around the knots.  I was going to incorporate them but for a kids bow, I figured I wanted durable

[bigcountry]

I haven't made up my mind on the handle or fades.  I will get the limbs eaven and worry about handle area later. 

Saw said his handle was 2 1/8", but he had long fades.  These fades will be 1.25" from the handle.  I also want to put a pistol grip type on with a shelf.  Or like SawFlier did, I can try to put a shelf on both sides.  He might be "gulp" left handed.

[bigcountry]

Ok, I did some handle rasping.  Finished the shaping and started scrapin the belly.



Took a risk tonight and heated that upper limb to take out some of that dogleg.  Reason it was a risk is I shouldn't have shapped the handled yet. And I had to pull the limb at least 2" to the side to get it to line up.


She lines up better.

[bigcountry]

Ok, finished shaping the handle


But still can't stand the idea of a knot in such a critical place on the handle


So I sanded down the handle "back" real smooth, and am going to cover with elk bone.


Sanded down a piece of elk bone real thin, and tapered the ends.


And carefully hand mated the two pieces and glued up and let dry overnight


This morning, using a dremel and every other file I had, I blended in and smoothed out.  Should be strong.


Not sure if I like the color.  Wished I would have used buffalo horn.  I might put an overlay of elk hoof or horn over this for looks.

[FlintWalker]

Looking great so far.
  I always wait till I get them tillered before shaping the handle.  Keep us posted. Saw Filer

[Pat B]

Coming along nicely. Great piece of wood!   I also wait until the end to shape the handle and tips.   

[bigcountry]

Coming along nicely. Great piece of wood!   I also wait until the end to shape the handle and tips.   

Big mistake.  I get bored doing one thing and jump around.  I was there messin with the fades, and before I knew it, I had a nicholson 49 in my hand shapin.   I have never done a pistol grip and saw sawfliers and tried to mimic it.

[bigcountry]

Ok, got her braced finally.  I started using a sanding block for tillering since everything seems so small and delicate.


I know it looks like I got a hinge on the right limb right out of the fades, but its just the way the bow lays.  Its real snakey there where i went around a big knot.


Here she is at 10" draw at 10lbs.  Still seem stiff for a young child.  I think now, I will shoot for 10lbs at 12" draw.

[bigcountry]

Well, I was almost to 14" tonight and she broke on the tiller tree.  She broke where I heat bent the limb sideways.  I tried to tiller her so she would go more that way, but got one side way too thin since I was shooting for such low weight.  Guess I learned something out of it.  I will have to go to bed and figure out what it was tomorrow.