A little bow called "Quasimodo" (44-1/2" ironwood, 70# @ 22")

[Dan K]

What kind of iron wood is this Rich?

[half eye]

Thank you fellas, even you "Wildman"

Dan, most all the ironwood around here is hop-hornbeam. Just a habit I got in around here talkin with the sawyers. They call this ironwood and the other kind they call musclewood. Sorry for the confusion.
rich

[tattoo dave]

It's down right amazing Rich how you turn firewood into a bow!! I think I have the sister stave to that bow you gave me a while back. Been wondering what to do with it for a while. Now I know. Thanks!

Tattoo Dave

[Blacktail]

man rich,that stick would blow a whole thru 2 deer..nice job..john

[Gsulfridge]

I bet that rocket launcher would shoot through a deer length wise!!  I like it.  Flexible firewood, whooda thunk it?

[half eye]

Thank you much fellas, I didn't start out to make a good bow from the wood. Honestly thought it would break or something (high weight/ short bow) so I was too cheap to grab a "good" stave. So really it is a "happy accident" and I found out that the NA's could make any weight bow they wanted.....that's all I was after. (it would be lying if I said it was not a hoot to shoot though )
rich

[IdahoMatt]

I don't think I could pull that puppy bAck if I tried hard enough to give me a hernia  .  Great bow Rich.

[DuBois]

Hey there Rich, I know this was dead standing, but when you harvest HHB do you strip the bark and seal it or what? I don't know why, maybe a new bowyer thing, but I been chasing all kinds of wood and even dragging osage and hickory back from Kansas. Working on second rate stuff frequently and all the while I got a buddy with 40 acres of woods thick with HHB. Soon as it gets a little warmer I am gonna take the trailer and get a full load. I got only a couple pieces from 2 years ago and you got me wanting more buddy 
Marco D.

[Carson (CMB)]

That is beastly!!

[dbb]

That is a manly bow!
Cool

[half eye]

Thank you Idaho, that's the great thing about sticks and strings, Pull it till ya cant go no more, I know all about that part

Carson: YES SIR it is

Marco: The dead standing I have had the bark still on. But after 2 years in the weather it came off pretty easy with an old butchers knife. Larry (a sawyer friend) cut some green a while back that were 2" in diameter to use for closet rods, he stripped the bark and stood 'em the corner of the garage and they dried fine. If you cut smaller to medium diameter stuff (in the spring or early summer) the bark will "slip" real easy then split 'em if necessary, and seal the ends that should do it for up to about 6" maybe. The really big stuff is going to bark strip great.....splitting not so much Don't know about sealing the backs though because I have never done that. If the big splits get any checking I just work around them. Most all of the dead standing is checked and I just been using that as place to start splitting. Hope that helps ya some. Oh ya, don't put 'em in the direct sun light, shade with good air flow.
rich

PS: dbb, you bet, now I got to find a man to shoot it

[Sidewinder]

That is seriously crazy short. Once again you prove that there aren't many guys can make short like you do. I'm guessing some pinch finger draw to the chest type NA action would'nt draw much passed 22" anyway would it? I know Marc Stlouis been making bows outta HHB for a long time and this little bow proves it is as good a bow wood as you can get. I'm an osage freak but gotta take my hat off to the HHB on this one.   Nice one.   Danny

[Peacebow_Coos]

Awesome

[half eye]

Thank you Peacebow

Sidewinder, I agree wholeheartedly, made some from Osage, and more from the ironwood and as crazy as it sounds they both have a lot in common. I really like both, but that's howcome I keep saying that I do not feel "undergunned" when I use the hop hornbeam and since It's everywhere here-abouts I use that.
rich

[n2huntn]

like I always say, " You the man. "