I made this Elder bow a few weeks ago, Elder is a quit good bow wood , very good under compression but a straight grown peace is hard to find .
Here is the Elder bush i took the stave from
well not really straight, and a long crack on the reflex side of the limb
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollerhaselwacholdx592h86o.jpg)
debarked it and marked the centerline
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollerhaselwacholdk02dnax5.jpg)
after a bit of work with the drawknife it started to look like bow
![Roll Eyes ::)](http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/Smileys/default/rolleyes.gif)
well, about 2" of deflex and not straight at al
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling019bl2k4m37.jpg)
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling021wjczbnap.jpg)
deflex
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling0184awjledn.jpg)
very thin rings
![Undecided :-\](http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/Smileys/default/undecided.gif)
can you see them
![Grin ;D](http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/Smileys/default/grin.gif)
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling074fl5148wz.jpg)
the weight of the bow , the handle wasn't cut out at that time:
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling022b7kre4vg.jpg)
more work with the draw knife in the handle area:
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling02517x60pbs.jpg)
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling030mkw5gxrz.jpg)
almost a bow
![Evil >:D](http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/Smileys/default/evil.gif)
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling027ocrt2y50.jpg)
It has a few really big knots on it, must be carefull with them.
the floor tiller was easy , here first time with the string on it
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling033xc2p51zo.jpg)
on the tiller tree
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling03123ke5br0.jpg)
very stiff and to much draw weight
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling032d5q4ltkm.jpg)
better, but still not good
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling0377rmye2g4.jpg)
I'm happy with that, i know there are still stiff parts , but i don't want it to bend to much in the area where the big knots are
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling039rg2f0ao4.jpg)
It bends slightly through the handle.
OK, time to straighten the limbs, actually i never thought that the elder would come that far because of the knots and its very very fine ringed.
with the heat pistol and a bucket of nails for weight
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling041a89vmkpy.jpg)
Thats the way it should look like , good result.
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling042dv0ah76s.jpg)
Now its about time to clean the workspace, tools are everywhere but not there where they should be
![Roll Eyes ::)](http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/Smileys/default/rolleyes.gif)
the next step is to clean the bow to get a nice surface
i use a few different kind of scrapers ans sandpaper
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling046oxn7wca8.jpg)
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling049bt0wzcup.jpg)
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling054c2xfb7m6.jpg)
handle area is still dirty
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling057diekcoh8.jpg)
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling058kzvqrc32.jpg)
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling062omvglazb.jpg)
finished, now the surface is smooth and clean no toolmarks left
back
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling059aigc1evh.jpg)
belly
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling0611r6i8acq.jpg)
end weight
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling068wk2di8bg.jpg)
tools I've used on the last steps
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling064ry2b3htu.jpg)
![](http://www.fotos-hochladen.net/hollersapling071oyam78iu.jpg)