A year ago a friend, Terry, gave me set of sister yew billets. Even though I had had no experience working with yew I could see that the wood was top rate – high ring count, thin sapwood, and clean. Unfortunately, the billets were cut such that the surface that would form the bow’s back was angled sharply. Over the course of several months I came back to the billets frequently trying to figure out how I could get a self-bow out of them – but I just couldn’t see a way. Recently Terry inquired how I was coming along with the billets. I was a little embarrassed to admit that crafting a bow out of the fabulous wood he gave me had eluded me. I explained why and added that perhaps a more experienced bowyer could accomplish it, but that I would need to back the wood in order to be successful. Terry then graciously offered me a bamboo slat for the job.
I had never made a bamboo backed bow before (or, for that matter, a laminated bow) so I read everything on the process that I could get my hands on. I also ordered Dean Torges’ video and found it quite helpful. Despite my research there were some surprises. Before the glue-up I floor tillered the bow to about 70# which gave me a limb thickness of about 1” at the fades. When I took the bow out of the form it was about as flexible as an iron frying pan. By the time I had finished tillering the bow the thickness of the yew at the fades had been reduced from 1” to ½”. The amount of strength that bamboo adds is simply amazing! I am also pleasantly surprised how snappy the bow is. It seems just as powerful as my glass longbow which has the same weight rating. Did I mention that bamboo is amazing stuff?
I should also mention the reason for the thread wrappings on the limbs. During tillering a fret developed on the upper limb at a knot that passed through the belly. I used a technique I learned from John Strunk where he laminates a patch of raw hide over the belly area that is fretting and then wraps the whole works with thread. I did the same and it seems to have worked perfectly.
Here are the bow’s specifications. Yew backed with bamboo, 65” ntn, 55# @ 27”, 1 ¼” wide at the fades tapering to ½” at the tips, tips are black water buffalo horn. The handle is elk hide dyed with a combination of red and brown leather dye and a Strunk style handle lacing. The bow is finished with 9 coats of Tru-Oil. The bow holds 2” of reflex even after shooting – did I mention that bamboo is amazing stuff?
I hope you enjoy the bow.
