Hickory Bow (Pictures Included)((Help name the bow and decide on next project))

[Nashoba]

Hi guys!
I have been on this site for a while and I am just getting around to posting my first bow. I apologize for the poor quality pictures. My camera is a $40 piece and my wife's camera was dead. I have actually had this bow finished for a while, but between college and timber cruising I have hardly had time to post anything. Anyway, on to the details.

In the summer of 2012, I cut a 3" Pignut Hickory from a hill bank and stripped the bark off as soon as it fell. Using a method that my grandfather showed me when he was teaching me how to carve bows, I used an awl to punch multiple holes perpendicular to where I wanted my back to be. If you do it right the wood will check along these lines during drying and preserve the back. Not always necessary to do, but it has kept the favored side of my staves from checking in the past.
I dried the stave for about 6 months standing in a shed, and began shaving that winter. I usually only got thirty minute bursts on Saturdays to work on it, but by the end of May I was in the tillering process (college is not friendly to my hobby). I took on an internship with my state's wildlife agency and finally had time to put the finishing touches on it. Here are the results.













60" NTN, 50lbs @ 31"
Pignut Hickory (Carya glabra)
No name yet. Taking suggestions.

I didn't start with a particular design in mind. It just sorta came out like this. The tiller didn't  even out as nice as I wanted, but it started shooting real sweet at one point and I was scared of changing anything. The shelf was for my wife, as she is not used to shooting off of hand. I normally forgo a shelf so this is a crude first attempt. I haven't applied a finish yet, but I think a clear coat might be in order (I don't want to cover up the mineral stains on the right side). I brought the knocks down to pinky size. I am going to try for pencil diameter sometime or another.

So what do y'all think? How can I improve on my work, and what type of design would you call this? Also looking for a name if y'all have any ideas.

My next dilemma is whether to tackle "Lead-Belly", my Dogwood molly project, or to get started on some 70 year old Osage Orange. We shall see.

[huisme]

It looks like a nice holmegaarde to me. I'm interested to see an unbraced side profile, my impression was that hickory might take a bit of set with that kind of bend.

My vote goes to the seventy year osage, obviously

[Nashoba]

It looks like a nice holmegaarde to me. I'm interested to see an unbraced side profile, my impression was that hickory might take a bit of set with that kind of bend.

My vote goes to the seventy year osage, obviously

A "bit" of set would be an understatement. I measured it out to 3" inches. I am going to reverse brace it to get it out and probably reserve this one for the wife (my DL is 31" compared to her 28"). I intended it to be longer than it is but it just didn't work out. I will try to get an unbraced side picture soon.

[adb]

Once the set is there, you can't remove it. DO NOT reverse brace it!!!

[Nashoba]

Once the set is there, you can't remove it. DO NOT reverse brace it!!!

Had no idea about that. Thanks for the warning! Guess I will just deal with 3" 

[PAHunter]

First off, that's an incredible first bow!!  The design is good and appropriate for the wood IMO.  You could have went smaller and thinner wiht the tips/outer limbs.  That would speed them up and give you a few more inches of draw if desired.  Incase your wondering the bow could have handled a deeper shelf if desired, for you wife.  With just a little thickness on the handle you can go close to 1/2 way if desired.  You can finish it with several coats of tru oil if you like.  Great job!

[BOWMAN53]

You should name it "babys bottom" cuz that baby is smooth.

[Arrowind]

Looks cool.   

[Nashoba]

First off, that's an incredible first bow!!  The design is good and appropriate for the wood IMO.  You could have went smaller and thinner wiht the tips/outer limbs.  That would speed them up and give you a few more inches of draw if desired.  Incase your wondering the bow could have handled a deeper shelf if desired, for you wife.  With just a little thickness on the handle you can go close to 1/2 way if desired.  You can finish it with several coats of tru oil if you like.  Great job!

Thank you! I might need to clarify on this being my first bow. This is the first one that I have posted on here. It is my 4th bow and the first one to pull over 30lbs at my draw length. I thought about thinning the outer limbs down to reduce mass, but again I am nervous about messing with it  Does Tru Oil cause any discoloration? How compareable is it with linseed oil?

[huisme]

Thin it from the sides; the tips will retain their stiffness with less mass, making for better cast.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Id name it "Stressed out". Truth is, your bow is severely overdrawn and underbuilt for 31" of draw. Being hickory it'll take anything you give it and stay together. Next time try adding about 6-7" of length to it and your set will drop dramatically and of course your performance goes up equally.

The name I suggested is all in fun, please don't think Im picking on you.

[blackhawk]

+1 pearl...and it looks like your no where near 31" of draw either....ya sure you draw that with a stick bow? No offense but I'm doubting it by the picture evidence.... get an arrow and mark it inches,then try to shoot normally with someone watching you shoot to see how far back your really drawing....once you know your true draw length then you can design accordingly more to your desired specs....but if you do draw that far then do as pearl says and add ten inches or more of length....and also try to keep hickory at a low moisture content ,otherwise it will want to follow the string like a strung out dog....not picking on ya,just some constructive criticism for ya to do better on the next one....

[4dog]

man he looks just like squirrelly to me ...no offence ...just sayin..lol...anyone else see the resemblance or is it just me...difference is..theres a bow in the pic...not tryin to rouse old bones ...lol

[huisme]

I really don't want to open a can of worms but I really want to know what the squirrel references are about. I must have missed something during a week off.

+1 PD and blackhawk

[Mohawk13]

Nice bow....Hickory is My favorite wood to work with....