44" hard maple bendy, made with flint spalls

[mwosborn]

Very nice!  Amazing the time difference between the two tools!

[GlisGlis]

Debated about posting this but decided to

I'm really happy you decided to do it
great accomplishement!!

[Aaron H]

Very cool Rich, glad you posted this.  I hope to one day do a primitive build like this

[RyanR]

Nice little bow. I bet that took some patience making it the way you did.

[SLIMBOB]

Nicely done Sir.  I like them with the tool marks showing on these types.  Makes them look rugged. 

[half eye]

Thank you very much fellas. I did it cause I wanted a small appreciation fro what the NA went through....I did a lot of things wrong which is obvious but I can tell you this, I'd protect my bows and arrows to the max. This showed me first hand about what tedious really means. It was nothing like what I thought and I'm stickin to my files and such. I also have a fair understanding why they would go to great lengths to recover their arrows and arrow heads, maybe evenh why they would choose to kill really big critters with spears or big rocks. I have all the respect in the world for neolithic people.

Gonna post the arrows today and you will see what I mean about tedious to the max.
rich

Slimbob, thanks man...was typin while was.

[TRACY]

Real nice work Rich! I've used a stone tool to harvest an Osage sapling ONCE, and was quick to have the utmost respect for those that have and will make a stone tool bow. I have noticed that larger and heavier stone tools work much easier on wood removal but I still get tool marks.
Nice work! Love the arrows too!

Tracy

[Badly Bent]

I don't know if making bows from stone tools could grow on a guy but to me the look of the finished product could. I like that pure primitive kinda hand hewn character, doesn't look like it was made in a wood shop but more like it was whittled around a campfire. Very cool little bow there Rich.

[IdahoMatt]

I would love to sometime love to try this.  Great job rich.  Something cool about the primitive look.  My brother in law just made some birch tar and together we formulated a great wood stain with it and turpentine.  It would look great with this kind of bow.  I will try it on the one I'm working on now and post my results.  The stain has a very natural look.   Love this bow

Matt

[half eye]

Thanks again all of you.

Tracy, check out the arrows when I post 'em there's a deal you can relate to.

B2, I really like it too, but was thinkin yall might think it was too crude, like I said I'm not sure I even went about it right. But it was fun and I may do another (maybe not if I get in my right mind ).

Idaho, That sounds like a great finish, especially on cold weather climate peoples. Maybe I can trade you out of some for my next neolithic bow set?

Thank you all for the kind comments.
rich

[DC]

I like the rough finish, looks functional. Did you have to sharpen the stone tools much or did they keep their edge through the whole job?

[half eye]

DC, believe it or not most of the "chatter" came from the tools when razor sharp. ( either slicing or scraping) they did dull down a bit and I did not resharpen and seemed to give a better result. There could be 2 different reasons for that though.
first: I was working very hard wood that was fully cured, not green or semi-dry
second: I was not using the tools properly, or my hand strength is not up to par.

I had better results with slightly dull spalls. Even cutting the fineals was not what I expected in that I used my arrow notch tool for that job and it was so much a matter of "cutting" as it was "abrading". sort of like a file compared to a sharp knife.
rich

[simson]

That's a cool primitive set. Both look great - bow and arrows!
Thanks for posting Rich, one day I will try that too.
I had Jim Hamm's book in the hands today and I'm wondering why indians or paleopeople did that painful job at decorations. Two days for that diamond shaped nock, puuh ......

[half eye]

Simon, I agree with you man. But I bet when it was done they would gaurd it like it was gold
It sure is easier to haft a sapling to a spear point
rich