Winter project - Yew Recurve bow

[Ghost Dog]

  !

[DirtyDan]

Gordon, I have admired your work for years.  This project is a real gift to all of us.  Thank you for taking so many hours to record this for our inspiration and information.  I do not like the arguments over principles and procedures, but you handled everyone very graciously.  I am sure the bow will be a fine performer for you, if for no other reason than that you put such loving care and thought into its creation.  Congratulations on another exquisite project.
Dan Spier
Marietta, GA

[juniper junkie]

very nicely done Gordon, cant wait to see it in person.

[Tortoise]

So excited for full draw!!! This thing looks beautiful.

[Gaur]

Bow is looking great Gordon.

Thanks for taking the time to share your techniques with us.  Some great info.

[Gordon]

I like to use Tru-Oil for finishing my bows.  It’s waterproof, relatively inexpensive, easy to apply, rubs out nicely and, importantly, is easy to repair.  I apply using the tip of my finger.  It is best to put on sparingly in order to prevent runs.  I apply 9 coats and let dry at least 4 hours between applications. I lightly sand the 3rd and 6th coat with 400 grit sand paper to remove embedded dust and other imperfections in the finish. It’s important to apply only light pressure when sanding or you risk sanding through to bare wood.  After the last coat is applied, I let the finish stand for several days to fully cure.



To complete the finish job, I will go over the finish with successively finer and finer abrasives.  I start by sanding the finish with water and wet/dry 400-grit sandpaper to create a smooth and uniform surface. Then I rub that out with medium grit synthetic steel wood followed by fine grit.  The final step is to rub the finish out with crushed pumice stone. I mix the pumice with vegetable oil and then apply to the finish with a clean and soft cotton rag. I start with medium grit followed by fine grit. When I am done the finish is satin smooth and completely free of imperfections.

[Gordon]

The next step is applying the arrow pass.  I mark the length of the arrow pass on a piece of suitable leather and then use a plate and Exacto knife to cut it out.  This method yields an arrow pass with nicely curved sides. I stain the pass with leather dye and affix it to the bow with a thick super-glue.

[Gordon]

The final step is to fashion a leather handle. I’m not going to describe that in this build-a-long, but you can contact me if you are interested in learning how to do a John Strunk style handle.

And here is a picture of the final product.



I've created another new thread with the bow’s vital statistics, more pictures and, of course, the hero shot:

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,32546.0.html

Thank you all so much for following my build-a-long. You comments, insights, questions, and compliments have been a wonderful addition to this journey. I can't thank you enough.

Gordon

[bluegill68]

Gordon,

Thanks for taking the time to post the build, there is almost as much work in posting as there is in building the bow.

Sean

[Prarie Bowyer]

Gordon,

This bow is awesome! I am interested in this handle grip type. 

Thanks,
Scott

[Gordon]

For those interested in learning more about the handle construction please PM me.

Thanks

[dwardo]

So so pretty, lovely thing that is. Might want to disguise your email address Gordon to avoid webcrawlers picking it up and adding it to spam lists. Either that or just ask peoples to PM you.

Loved every minute of this build along and it will be book marked along side your hazel bow tutorial for regular reference.

Cant wait to see the posh photos.

 

[Jodocus]

 

This is stunning.

Great thankyou for documenting how you did this, very instructive indeed.

[Pat B]

TTT

[vanduzer]

Hi Gordon,  It was nice to see your build along.  I met you today at Sylvan archery range (Monday early pm).  Your bow is absolutely beautiful.