Author Topic: My first "real" rattlesnake osage bow  (Read 4256 times)

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Offline DirtyDan

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My first "real" rattlesnake osage bow
« on: June 08, 2010, 04:53:07 pm »
As some of you that know me can attest, my wife detests snakes, and will not have them--or their skins--anywhere around.  So, I have been making "fake snake" backed bows for some time.  However, in a weaker moment she allowed me to start making bows with real snake skin on the back.  My friend Joe Coots gave me several nice skins and I made this osage bow.  The stave was an excellent, clear, fairly straight piece that I bought from Mike (Yazoo) McGuire.  He calls this wood "second growth," because it is taken from large, straight branches that have grown straight up out of a tree that had fallen over, but had not died.  Anyway, it was a great piece of wood that was easy to get down to one ring.  It is an American flatbow design with very narrow tips.  It is 66" long ntn, pulls 54 pounds at 28 inches.  I heat treated the belly and put some reflex in it, and it has stayed very straight with no string follow.  I have not put it on the chronograph yet, but I believe it is one of the fastest self bows I have ever made.  A real pleasure to build.

Offline Josh

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Re: My first "real" rattlesnake osage bow
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2010, 05:21:31 pm »
Nice bow man!  I really like the Diamondbacks on Osage.  Mike and Ken Mcguire sure do have some great Osage don't they?  I get two or three pieces from them at every event I attend that they are at.  Grip, tiller and finish work are all top notch... If it were mine though i would try to round out the string grooves a bit more, might save a little on fraying the string loops.  Awesome bow man.  :)
« Last Edit: June 08, 2010, 05:29:19 pm by Josh »
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Offline AncientArcher76

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Re: My first "real" rattlesnake osage bow
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2010, 05:28:39 pm »
Nice lookin bow!  Congrats!!!


AA
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Offline Hillbilly

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Re: My first "real" rattlesnake osage bow
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2010, 05:42:55 pm »
That's a sweet bow, looks sleek and deadly. What are the overlays, bocote?
Smoky Mountains, NC

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Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: My first "real" rattlesnake osage bow
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2010, 05:49:48 pm »
That really is a nice bow. Awesome work! Jawge
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Offline LEGIONNAIRE

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Re: My first "real" rattlesnake osage bow
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2010, 06:13:33 pm »
nice biw. tiller looks good. I love the look of rattlesnake skin on the back it gives it a nice touch. how wide is it?
CESAR

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Offline DirtyDan

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Re: My first "real" rattlesnake osage bow
« Reply #6 on: June 08, 2010, 06:20:51 pm »
Thanks, guys.  Josh, the angle does not show it, but the grooves are pretty well rounded and smooth. Legionnaire, the bow is 1 3/8" wide at the fades, goes down to 1" 10 inches from the tips, and then down to 3/8 at the nocks.

Offline Josh

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Re: My first "real" rattlesnake osage bow
« Reply #7 on: June 08, 2010, 06:27:25 pm »
Cool beans Dan... It really is a beautiful bow!  :)
“The trouble with quotes on the Internet is you never know if they are genuine.” —Abraham Lincoln

Offline xin

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Re: My first "real" rattlesnake osage bow
« Reply #8 on: June 08, 2010, 08:54:21 pm »
I don't recall ever seeing a prettier bow.   Excellent craftsmanship!

Offline mullet

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Re: My first "real" rattlesnake osage bow
« Reply #9 on: June 08, 2010, 10:05:54 pm »
 Beautiful bow, Dan. You are the Artist!
Lakeland, Florida
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Offline ricktrojanowski

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Re: My first "real" rattlesnake osage bow
« Reply #10 on: June 08, 2010, 10:23:37 pm »
Very nice,  your handle work is beautiful.  That is a fine bow.
Traverse City, MI

Offline bigcountry

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Re: My first "real" rattlesnake osage bow
« Reply #11 on: June 08, 2010, 11:07:10 pm »
So I guess at the DirtyDan house, ain't too many fake snake pranks going on?


LOoks great.
Westminster, MD

Offline Pat B

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Re: My first "real" rattlesnake osage bow
« Reply #12 on: June 09, 2010, 12:23:42 am »
Very nice bow, Dan.  8)
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline El Destructo

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Re: My first "real" rattlesnake osage bow
« Reply #13 on: June 09, 2010, 01:35:50 am »
I like it Dan....nice job
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Offline NTD

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Re: My first "real" rattlesnake osage bow
« Reply #14 on: June 09, 2010, 01:46:11 am »
Gorgeous Bow!!
Nate Danforth