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Author Topic: old bow id  (Read 3351 times)

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Offline sleek

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old bow id
« on: January 22, 2015, 10:49:05 pm »
So I was working a gun show and this fellow approaches me with an old rahide backed bow missing its white horn nocks. The rawhide is delaminating and he wants me to repair it. Plan is to steam the back with a tea kettle and work the back off with dental floss with a sawing motion. I need to preserve this backing to reuse it. I dont know the species of wood but it aint osage or mulbery but has the aged osage look and smells sweet when fresh cut. Any ideas on who made this bow or the wood type? Its 71.5" long. Pics to follow.
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Offline sleek

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Re: old bow id
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2015, 10:50:16 pm »
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Offline sleek

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Re: old bow id
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2015, 10:50:46 pm »
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Offline sleek

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Re: old bow id
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2015, 10:51:17 pm »
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Offline sleek

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Re: old bow id
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2015, 10:51:57 pm »
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Offline sleek

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Re: old bow id
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2015, 10:54:02 pm »
I am supposed to get this bow shooting again. Im going to get it to brace. I told him id let him know if its safe or not in my opinion,  but he would have to pull it himself.  Its 71" long and he has a short draw length so its probably gonna be fine.
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Offline huisme

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Re: old bow id
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2015, 11:00:39 pm »
I restored almost the exact same bow while I was in Nevada :o The tips and back were fine, guy just wanted a new string and a few coats of tru-oil and it was fine, apparently it had seen occasional use and had been stored properly.

I could be wrong, could be coincidence, it just looks so much like the bow I worked on.
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50#@26"
Black locust. Black locust everywhere.
Mollegabets all day long.
Might as well make them short, save some wood to keep warm.

Offline DavidV

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Re: old bow id
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2015, 11:07:07 pm »
Looks like lemonwood...
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Springfield, MO

Offline sleek

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Re: old bow id
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2015, 11:07:39 pm »
The guy who requested I fix it for said he was given it as a gift from a friend of his who found it in a flea market. Did it have white horn tip nocks?
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Tread softly and carry a bent stick.

Dont seek your happiness through the approval of others

Offline huisme

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Re: old bow id
« Reply #9 on: January 22, 2015, 11:12:30 pm »
Yep, dark streak through the top nock. No idea where the guy got it, and yeah it was lemonwood.
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50#@26"
Black locust. Black locust everywhere.
Mollegabets all day long.
Might as well make them short, save some wood to keep warm.

Offline sleek

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Re: old bow id
« Reply #10 on: January 22, 2015, 11:15:16 pm »
Its possible its the same. It lives in Missouri now.
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Tread softly and carry a bent stick.

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Offline lebhuntfish

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Re: old bow id
« Reply #11 on: January 23, 2015, 12:30:52 am »
I seen this bow first hand. It's a very interesting bow. At first glance I thought it was yew but I've never actually seen yew but once. It's shaped with a very rounded belly just like an ELB.
I think vinemaplebows posted a lemon wood bow last fall. Not sure the wood is the same color. But not sure. Patrick 
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Once an Eagle Scout, always an Eagle Scout!

Missouri, where all the best wood is! Well maybe not the straightest!

Building a bow has been the most rewarding, peaceful, and frustrating things I have ever made with my own two hands!

Offline DavidV

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Re: old bow id
« Reply #12 on: January 23, 2015, 01:21:40 am »
I've only seen one lemonwood bow in person and it was probably from the 30s, what makes it look like lemonwood here is how fine the grain is, you can't see any early/late contrast on the belly side. They also didn't do a lot of edge grain bows with other woods back then, lemonwood staves were just boards regardless of ring orientation.
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Springfield, MO

mikekeswick

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Re: old bow id
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2015, 02:15:43 am »
Lemonwood is my guess too.
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Offline chamookman

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Re: old bow id
« Reply #14 on: January 23, 2015, 04:35:06 am »
It's Lemonwood. Bob
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"May the Gods give Us the strength to draw the string to the cheek, the arrow to the barb and loose the flying shaft, so long as life may last." Saxon Pope - 1923.
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