Main Discussion Area > Horn Bows
50" Stone Sheep Horn Bow
ChristopherHwll:
Something to note about working with sheep horn. It is much more "elastic" by feel than bison horn or elk antler. It really does feel more like a rubber-band. The domestic sheep horn I have worked with is very similar but I have noted differences in species to the degree of this "elastic" feel and how solid the horn is throughout it's curl. All sheep have a "pithy" like core that connects the solid horn to the bone of the skull. This core has a tendency to pull up away from the more solid outer horn. This layer can be apart of the limb core but I have found it best to remove as much as possible.
ChristopherHwll:
Time to splice the handle. First I make glue. This glue is a sinew glue made of Elk, bison, and white-tail sinew. The elk sinew is the very same that I will back the bow with. I always do this to make sure the properties in my glue are as similar to the backing as possible. The bison sinew makes for a very strong glue. The white-tail is for good "mojo" as it is from my hunt last year. I recycle as much of the deer after I process it myself. Meat, sinew, bone, and hide are all used. The glue shown is dry on the left and beginning to dry on the right.
ChristopherHwll:
Splicing the two horns with a lap splice and then gluing on an under and over riser. You can barley see the glue lines. This glue is very pale and almost clear.
ChristopherHwll:
Once I have the limbs glued and in-line. I start the final straightening and material removal working my way to the tips. Another note about working with sheep horn, using the dry heat method you can "relax" the horn and then remove the unwanted material so that the underlying horn is less affected by the stretch or compression. I built a quick lumber form specifically for this bow in order to "relax" the horn into correct shape.
ChristopherHwll:
Final horn core shape before applying the sinew backing. Nocks are shaped as I will completely wrap them in sinew. Handle is now wrapped with backstrap sinew. Notice how straight the limbs are. Much time and patience to get the bow to this stage. It is the bow on the rack a bottom above the river-cane shafts.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version