Hickory recurve self-bow experiment

[Academonicon]

It's finished!  I finished my hickory recurve!  It's not the best bow in the history of the world, and sure, some things could've gone better, but in the end I'm actually pretty happy with how the thing came together.  It's not going to be given as a gift as originally planned, but it was good practice.
Final specs:
-65" nock-to-nock
-43# @ 28"
-limbs are 1.5" wide tapering to less than 0.5" at the tips
-about 1.5" of set, but 2" recurve more than makes up for it
-working handle (I put a layer of rawhide on the belly of the handle section, and built a wood handle on the back of it, then slicing through the riser wood down to the rawhide in 1/4" intervals to allow the riser to bend with the main wood of the bow.  I don't recommend doing it this way, but it works.)
-the tiller is a little off, though that's partly a visual trick due to the larger part of the handle sitting on the lower limb

It's a really sweet-shooting bow, and I learned a lot in the building process.

[huisme]

Pretty sure we're not allowed to sell here; that's reserved for companies who contribute to PA.

Nice bow though

[Academonicon]

I woke to a message about that this morning.  I didn't know about the rule, but now I know.

[Eric Krewson]

Well........ Why did you put the arrow rest looking place on the belly?

[Academonicon]

A reasonable question.  It's mostly an aesthetic choice, though the outward curve above the thumb makes for a more comfortable grip.

[Marc St Louis]

You should familiarize yourself with all the rules and not just that one before you get yourself into more trouble.

[Eric Krewson]

Any glued on handle that has an abrupt transition to the limbs will most surely pop loose. I learned this the hard way, a lot of my early glued on handles popped loose on one end or the other.

[PatM]

Any glued on handle that has an abrupt transition to the limbs will most surely pop loose. I learned this the hard way, a lot of my early glued on handles popped loose on one end or the other.

Yeah but did you cut slots every 1/4 inch? 

[Eric Krewson]

Nope, should have read a little closer, sounds kinda' weird. I think I would have built the handel up with leather or rawhide and done a cord wrap.

[PatM]

You would think the hand would get pinched in the slots as they close up. Particularly with that "bulging out of her corset" handle wrap.

[Academonicon]

Yeah, Eric, as mentioned above, I don't necessarily endorse this method (mostly because cutting down through the riser wood runs the risk of also cutting into the bow if you're not careful, which...you know.  Would be a problem.  That said, doing it this way allowed me to quickly, easily, and cheaply build a handle with a pleasantly deep groove for the main point of hand-pressure.

Pat, I hadn't though about that problem, but so far with the leather stretched so tightly over the handle, there hasn't been an issue with the material getting pinched in the cracks.

[blackhawk]

Can you post a full draw(28") pic please?

Cork is the easiest and simplest way to build up and shape a handle SAFELY!!!!

[Academonicon]

thanks Blackhawk, I wouldn't have thought of that!  I'll try to post a draw-pic later tonight or tomorrow.

[PEARL DRUMS]

SAFELY is the key word my friend. Especially when your trying to get $$$ for it. A lot of responsibility, in my mind, goes with getting $$ for bows. That's why I don't.

[huisme]

SAFELY is the key word my friend. Especially when your trying to get $$$ for it. A lot of responsibility, in my mind, goes with getting $$ for bows. That's why I don't.

Can't be stressed enough. I sell a few, mostly mollegabets, probably on my way to selling more if people keep nagging me, and safety comes before making a bow look nice. If there's a chance the bow won't be safe five years down the road, it's been done wrong and I won't sell it.

I'm young and enjoy the work and challenge of making custom bows, but if you're not experienced enough to consider a request and give the customer a yes or no I can or can't make it then sticking to just making bows and selling them as you go is best-- although if you can't do that you might want to rethink selling altogether until you get a few more under your belt.