Hi there - I've been enjoying this site for some time, especially the beautiful bows some of you make. I've only been making bows for just over a year - mostly laminated ELBs, but have just finished my first truly primitive bow, made from an elm log about 3" diameter. It's such a difference experience from making the laminated bows which feel much more engineered. Anyway here is the elm primitive, and my standard stick for comparison. Both bows are used for NFAS field archery - so now I can shoot in both English Longbow and Primitve bow classe.
Elm (I think it might be wych elm) - 65 1/2" nock to nock, 41lbs # 27", just under 2" wide above the fades, with a steeply narrowing semi-holmegaard style section about 9" from each tip. The stave "propellered" whilst it was drying. I steamed the worst out, there is still some twist in there but it doesn't seem to make much difference.
ELB lemonwood belly (billets joined in handle), balau core, and hickory backing, black buffalo horn nocks and arrow plate. 71 1/2" nock to nock, 51lbs # 27".
I like them both, but it's much less tiring shooting a long field round with the light primitive bow.
Hope you enjoy them, advice welcome - still very much a beginner.
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