Will H wins May Self BOM with his Honey Hole" Osage bow with a BIG hole!!!

[criveraville]

Will H wins May Self BOM with his Honey Hole" Osage bow with a BIG hole!!!
Congratulations to Will H from Joelton, TN for winning May Self BOM contest!!!
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,32979.0.html
Will H’s Honey Hole" Osage bow with a BIG hole!!!

Bowyer comments: Here's my latest creation from a stave that was given to me by Pappy as a challenge because of the large hole running through the entire stave. As it turned out it was very challenging indeed! Not only was there a big hole from a knot but a large borer hole as well... I contemplated chasing the stave down a few more rings to get through the borer hole and also thought about filling it with sawdust and glue but after looking at it for a while thought I might be able to leave it in the bow without it lifting a splinter. The hole wasnt very deep and it seemed it was made before the tree was felled. I decided to try to dig the hole out with some small carving tools until I hit yellow wood again and ended up with a deep gouge that by the time the stave was floor tillered was another hole through the bottom limb. I took a screwdriver and burnished the inside of the hole as best I could and hoped it worked. As it turned out my luck held and the stave turned out to be one of my best shooting bows to date! The string tracks perfectly down the center of the handle and it spits arrows very quick for its weight. It turned out 45#@26" 64"NTN and is backed with a couple of timber rattlers. The tips are two laminations of 100yr old osage from a fencepost and bighorn sheep that I got from PEARL DRUMS. The grip is buckskin dyed with natural walnut dye and the arrow shelf is whitetail antler. I finished it with 8 coats of high gloss spar urathane and used Gordons method of putting a satin luster to it with artificial steel wool and pumice stone. Thanks again Pappy for your generosity! LIFE IS GOOD!!!     


Here are some of the comments from forum members: 
   those are some big holes!!  carpentertimw
SWEET! It looks better now then when I saw it. You did good, Bud.  Mullet
That is quite a bow! I bet you'll get a lot of comments on that one at 3-D events! The skin is also impressive  the way it works around that hole!! Very good job!! lesken2011
Great bow Will. You should Knap a point and insert it in that big hole!!  Cody
Been looking forward to seeing this one done. Excellent job and tiller looks great. You Twin Oakers are doing some impressive work over there. Great job Will, I really enjoyed talking with you at the classic.  Steve
Sweeet will...bout time you posted it....i disagree with eddie cus i liked seeing it better in person   ....n it was cool watching you pull it two feet in front of my face to see her unfold     blackhawk

[criveraville]

Congrats Will,well done.   
   Pappy

great job Will.that was a challenging peice of wood.it turn out awesome brother,Seabass

[MWirwicki]

Good on ya, Will!  Still gonna try your blacking out method on my next skin job. 

[Parnell]

Remarkable artisanship, Will.  Congratulations.

[bubby]

heck i knew who was gonna win soon as i saw your bow will, Bub

[Almostpighunter]

Really amazing and challenging bow! Wonderful job!

[_Jon_]

Well done friend.  That's a fine one.

[BearG]

well of coures he did, and a well deserved victory

[Will H]

Thank you all so much for the support! This bow turned out to be a real eye catcher I'm proud that she will get to grace the pages of PA I couldn't have done it without all the help and support I've received over the years from everyone here on PA. Also I want to give a big thank you to Pappy for gifting me such an awesome piece of character Osage! You're a good friend Pap! Im proud to know ya fella Life is Good!!!
 

[seabass]

well done Will.you excell at everything you do.flintknapping,music and bows.you have tons of talent my friend.i am very proud of you,Steve