I started 5 bows this past winter and this particular osage is just getting finished up. The only thing left to do is wrap the handle. I like the feel in the hand as it is so I haven't been in hurry to thicken it up.
The specs are 50# @ 28" and 62 3/4" ntn. It tillered out very straight limbed but more draw weight and energy tempted me to push the limits. I originally added 4" of reflex to it when belly tempering and it has kept every bit of 2"+. The plan was to only add 3" but due to the contours of the back I raised the handle without compensating for the tips on my caul. In truth it caused the bow to be somewhat under built in the final product but as you will see I've worked on those issues and am confident that it will last a while.
The charactor knot would have been just fine but the extra stress of reflex the limbs during the heat treating was a bit more than it could take. Hairline cracks started from the top and bottom of the hole so they got wrapped with sinew and TB3 for insurance.
Below the knot hole the limb became too narrow, blame that on the bandsaw last summer, and a stress crack developed across the limb and spread lengthwise like an "H". A piece of rawhide from a deer I had harvested took care of that little problem. If you look closely this shows up as the much lighter long, thin area in the rawhide. No more ticks, no more nervious draws.
The limb tips were narrowed but kept thicker for performance.
Like I mentioned above, I am starting to like small handles more all the time for my small hands.
This was the first time I've used harness leather and superglue for a shelf and I really like the way it works.
It settled braced just under my fistmile. The undrawn tiller did get off just a bit due to the covered splinter but after being shot hundreds of times since it hasn't changed. I'm happy with it, now. For a while I became discouraged with all the "issues" and about wrote it off but came around to my senses and have grown fond of the little bow. Just maybe I can take game with it this fall.
Hopefully you can see it with the cedar siding background.
Thanks for looking.
I decided to cover the handle this raining eveing:
