Mulberry milestone

[swamp monkey]

This is my first mulberry bow and I enjoyed it immensely.  It was easy to debark, enjoyable to work , took virtually no set and shoots well.  Its reputation of being a lot like Osage orange is true it is simply less dense. 

This started out as a bow for my daughter.  I had it tillered down to 35 pounds at her draw length.  But she spied a black locust bow I that had tillered to a hunting weight, but had not finished.  She wanted that one instead. 

What’s a dad to do?
So I cut an inch of each end.  Re-filed the nocks and checked the tiller.  Here are the final stats
TL =68”
NTN= 67”
Handle is 1”x1”
Fade width = 2”
Nock width is Ύ”
Limb thickness is ½”
43# @ 28”

A little minwax stain and three coats of tru oil to seal it.
Leather and flannel trim with dicron wraps to dress things up a bit. 

Now I need to finish that black locust bow.   

[swamp monkey]

a few more pix. I will try to get a better full draw pic once the sun is not so harsh.  By the way this was all done with hand tools.  hatchet, drawknife, spokeshave, file and scraper.

[rossfactor]

Great bow, classic pyramid shape. Nice tiller as well.

Gabe

[boughnut]

sweet bend on that on and all around very nice.

[lesken2011]

Nice job, SM! 

[Deo]

That is a very nice bow as well as some pretty wood. If my plant tax class paid off I believe that fig, Osange orange and mulberry are all in the same family.

[Fred Arnold]

swamp monkey, I like the looks of the mulberry. Are the limbs width tapered from the fades through the entire length and did you maintain the 1/2" thickness or slightly taper to the nocks?

[Arrowind]

Looks good! Nice work!

[Pappy]

Beautiful bow,very fine work.
   Pappy

[BowEd]

Beautiful bow.Mulberry has been my huckleberry in the past.Good job and with hand tools.

[swamp monkey]

swamp monkey, I like the looks of the mulberry. Are the limbs width tapered from the fades through the entire length and did you maintain the 1/2" thickness or slightly taper to the nocks?

I did taper the limbs straight down from the fades to the tips.  The grain was straight enough to allow that.  The bow is equal in thickness all the way down both limbs.  Just a smidgen under 1/2",  even the tips.  I let the tiller be the guide for thickness.  I think the pyramid design makes tillering work equally like that - all other things being equal.   


Thanks for the the many kind words ya'll.

[Sidewinder]

Nice job on that Mulberry stave Swamp Monkey. Tiller looks excellent.  Danny