Sinew question

[tetaxidermy]

What is a good length of osage for sinew backing, my stave is 60" and my draw is 28". looking to make a nice blind bow and still get my full draw at say 50-55 lbs. I am thinking 56"-58" bendy handle, but not sure. Thanks.

[HoBow]

That should work. I'm finishing a 59" sinew backed osage D bow tillered to 27". Once the sinew completely cures I plan on putting some snake skins. Good luck.

[tetaxidermy]

Thanks.

[Pat B]

With a sinew backing you should be able to go as short as half your draw length or possibly less. A bendy handle will allow you a bit less.

[half eye]

I regulary make short hardwood self bows. Bend through types that are twice the draw length work well for me (even when I steam bend in some working recurves).....considering that you are using a very tough wood and sinew backing as well you shouldn't have much trouble at all, and might even have a little "margin for error" because your combination is going to be way tough.     Like I said though I never worked with either of your materials, so please take for what it's worth.
rich

[Cacatch]

Good advice already. You could shorten that stave a couple inches down to 58 or probably even 56 if you're going to make it bendy handle and with the sinew still get your draw length/poundage. Short osage w/ sinew backing as I understand it made some of the best plains indian buffalo bows.

CP

[Kegan]

Personally, I'd start it off at 60". That's only a little longer than 56", really. Just leave the sinew short of the tips, say, 6" from the nocks. There's no real use for putting sinew all the way over the tips, especially if you use a good glue and/or snake skins. Heck, wrappings even work. That way, if it comes in too light or you just want it shorter later, you can simply knock the tips off and cut new nocks, no worrying about sinew . And with sinew and Osage, you might be able to go down as short as 48-52" with a bendy handle later if you wanted.

[wundabred]

my hunting bow this year is 52" osage recurve, 1 layer of backstrap sinew, draws 70# @ 26".    hump style handle.

for hunting and stalking, shorter is better.  osage and sinew can handle it.

[Thwackaddict]

I Wunda If you could share a pic of your 52" osage with us.Thats pretty impressive for that short of a bow

[Kegan]

for hunting and stalking, shorter is better.

Unless, like me, you can't shoot worth a darn

[tetaxidermy]

I think I will do that leave a little long, that will give some room to work with, 48"-52" would be perfect, we will see what happens. Working the ring right now, with dry time on sinew should be ready for spring turkey season.

[Pat B]

It took me quite a while to conquer a short bow and I'm talking a 60"t/t static recurve selfbow, so not all that short. The shorties aren't as forgiving as a longer, straight limbed bow.

[wundabred]

i tillered the osage out til it was pulling evenly at 22" or so.   One layer of sinew.  After that it really wasn't much work to get it to draw full draw.  It actually draws out to 28", pulling 80 or so, but i was going howard hill and making a stronger bow than i needed, so that i could get high weight at a shorter draw.  Quicker draw.   i'll get a pic up soon, sure.

[wundabred]

I Wunda If you could share a pic of your 52" osage with us.Thats pretty impressive for that short of a bow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wBBOQrpSBs



hope this works. 

[Justin Snyder]

for hunting and stalking, shorter is better.

Unless, like me, you can't shoot worth a darn

I agree Kegan, super short is not super stable.