« previous next »
Pages: [1]

Author Topic: Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow  (Read 12714 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Mangeur de lard

  • Member
  • Posts: 102
  • Wildlife biologist and arborist
Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow
« on: July 01, 2011, 04:09:54 pm »
Hi everyone. Well, here it is, and not a minute too soon! It's my trade bow. Finished it last night and will ship it this afternoon.

It's an Inuit bow, not a replica but based on general info from North American bows arrows and quivers by O.T.Mason. It's based on other bows from south Alaska. I chose to emulate this design because it's long and wide for a cable bow... added insurance.


I'ts 55'' long, 42lbs at 25 '', has about 3/4'' set . It's maple backed with braided moose sinew, about 50' of it. Took a while to make it! Sinew cable is really tougher than I thought. you can put quite a bit of tension on it and it just won't give. I floor tillered the bow with a nylon mock-cable for I did not want to put the sinew cable on and take it off after. Bad idea. A splinter popped off the back but it was mended with braided sinew and it didn't move since.

It was a bit tricky to finish cause of the cable being in the way and all so I finished the back after floor tiller, put the final braided sinew backing, twisted it tight, final tillered it and finished the belly and sides at the end. Very simple beeswax finish. I did not want to put a modern or solvent based finish on the bow because I didn't know what it would do to the sinew cable. Not the most resistant finish but easily repaired and refreshed. You got to be careful though when putting molten beeswax on a cable backed bow as heat will damage the sinew.

So there it is, enjoy and have a nice day!

Matthieu
Logged
Quebec, Canada

Offline Elktracker

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,964
  • Josh
Re: Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow
« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2011, 04:24:55 pm »
Cool bow! I would be very happy to recieve that bow! I already got mine but someone will be very happy! Well done!

Josh
Logged
my friends think my shops a mess, my wife thinks I have too much bow wood, my neighbors think im redneck white trash and they may all be right on the money!!

Josh Vance  Netarts OR. (Tillamook)

Offline Cameroo

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,579
    • Cam's Stuff
Re: Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow
« Reply #2 on: July 01, 2011, 04:32:37 pm »
Nice work man, looks like a lot of effort went into that one.
Logged

Offline jonathan creason

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,122
Re: Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow
« Reply #3 on: July 01, 2011, 04:35:24 pm »
Very cool!  Somebody's going to be stoked to get that one.
Logged
Cleveland, NC

"The only thing cooler than bands that gets lots of chicks are bands that scare chicks." - Beavis

Offline JackCrafty

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 5,628
  • Sorry Officer, I was just gathering "materials".
Re: Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow
« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2011, 04:35:37 pm »
Excellent job!  8)
Logged
Any critter tastes good with enough butter on it.

Patrick Blank
Midland, Texas
Youtube: JackCrafty, Allergic Hobbit, Patrick Blank

Where's Rock? Public Waterways, Road Cuts, Landscape Supply, Knap-Ins.
How to Cook It?  200° for 24hrs then 275° to 500° for 4hrs (depending on type), Cool for 12hr

Offline Mangeur de lard

  • Member
  • Posts: 102
  • Wildlife biologist and arborist
Re: Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow
« Reply #5 on: July 01, 2011, 05:35:11 pm »
Thanks guys! I do hope the recipient will be happy, though it came in lighter than expected. It's up to the postal service to do its part now!

cheers
matt
Logged
Quebec, Canada

Offline half eye

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,300
Re: Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow
« Reply #6 on: July 01, 2011, 05:53:40 pm »
Mangeur......absolutely outstanding bow there just beautifull.....
rich
Logged

Offline toomanyknots

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,132
Re: Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow
« Reply #7 on: July 01, 2011, 07:04:49 pm »
Somebody got lucky! Awesome bow.
Logged
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline ErictheViking

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,504
Re: Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow
« Reply #8 on: July 01, 2011, 08:12:24 pm »
Very cool Mangeur, the cable backed bows have always amazed me with the amount of effort it takes to make one.  Definately one that will be received well.
Logged
"He that but looketh on a plate of ham and eggs to lust after it hath already committed breakfast with it in his heart"  C.S. Lewis

Offline Pat B

  • Administrator
  • Member
  • Posts: 37,633
Re: Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow
« Reply #9 on: July 02, 2011, 12:58:58 am »
Very cool cable backed bow, Matthieu. We don't get to see many cable bows and I can tell you put your heart into this beaury.  8)
Logged
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Gordon

  • Member
  • Posts: 3,299
Re: Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow
« Reply #10 on: July 02, 2011, 05:32:55 am »
Now that's something you don't see every day. Very cool!
Logged
Gordon

Offline Hrothgar

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,477
Re: Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow
« Reply #11 on: July 02, 2011, 08:54:04 am »
Very nice bow!
Logged
" To be, or not to be"...decisions, decisions, decisions.

Offline Mangeur de lard

  • Member
  • Posts: 102
  • Wildlife biologist and arborist
Re: Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow
« Reply #12 on: July 02, 2011, 01:47:37 pm »
Thanks Rich, I always admired your native american replicas, it means a lot to me coming from you.
Thank you toomanyknots, Eric, Pat, Gordon, Hrothgar, I very much appreciated your comments!

Cheers,
Matt
Logged
Quebec, Canada
Pages: [1]
« previous next »