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Author Topic: Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow  (Read 12715 times)

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Offline Mangeur de lard

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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
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Offline Elktracker

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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
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Offline Cameroo

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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.
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Offline jonathan creason

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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.
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Offline JackCrafty

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Re: Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow
« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2011, 04:35:37 pm »
Excellent job!  8)
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Offline Mangeur de lard

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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
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Quebec, Canada

Offline half eye

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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
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Offline toomanyknots

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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.
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 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."

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Offline ErictheViking

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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.
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Offline Pat B

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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)
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Offline Gordon

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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!
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Gordon

Offline Hrothgar

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Re: Trade Bow: South Alaska sinew cable-backed inuit bow
« Reply #11 on: July 02, 2011, 08:54:04 am »
Very nice bow!
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Offline Mangeur de lard

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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
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Quebec, Canada
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