Euonymus minimal stick 35/28 (No.87)

[simson]

Happy new year everybody!
Here is my new warbow 

From time to time I really enjoy working on simple stick bows, with a round diameter at handle and tapering somehow to the tips. Here is one of those quick made sticks, an Euonymus europaeus branch harvested in my garden just a months or so ago.
You can see the origin diameter of the branch at the handle, its only ¾”, nearly nothing. The right place for the arrow is marked with a pigment ring, the nocks are made with a rawhide strip and sinew.
The stick was straight but took an inch set.
Euonymus is good bowwood, can be polished like bone, but is without much structure or grain contrast – looks a lot like bone.

Mass is 312 grams
61” ntn

The low poundage makes it just right a beginners bow and whenever it get blown, nothing is lost. A next is quick made.

10”: 6,5
12”: 10;1   (+ 3,6)
14”: 13,5   (+ 3,4)
16”: 16,7   (+ 3,2)
18”: 19,8   (+ 3,1)
20”: 22,9   (+ 3,1)
22”: 26,0   (+ 3,1)
24”: 29,0   (+ 3,0)
26”: 32,0   (+ 3,0)
28”: 35,0   (+ 3,0)

[bjrogg]

Very nice Simson, simple none of the fancy stuff but elegant in its bend and workmanship.
Happy and Healthy 2017 to you
Bjrogg

[BowEd]

Yes it's a new year!!!!Nice job simon.Excellent full draw pic.A person will be surprised how much zip and power a bow like this will have yet.
I often use the same type of string keeper on skinny longer lengthed tips of mine too.Like these lever bows I call them.Just to keep the string on unbraced  while transporting the bow.Without drilling a hole though which looks like a good idea really.
Those loops do get caught once in a while going through the brush though if a person does'nt pay attention.

[Badger]

   Nice job, learning how to tiller this shape is good practice for all of us. I ran it through the mass calculator just for fun and came out with 312 grams. I figured 2' of stiff handle. Almost exactly what you ended up with.

[Aaron H]

Euonymus huh?  That's interesting.  Great bend on a nice clean stick.  I think the wood is beautiful

[George Tsoukalas]

Beautiful, Simon! Happy New Year! Jawge

[osage outlaw]

Very nice work!

[wizardgoat]

I love a simple stick bow, great work Simon, cool seeing bows from wood I've never heard of

[---GUTSHOT--->]

Simple, plain and just nice.

[MulchMaker]

Nice bow! 3/4 of an inch to start with and you see a bow! What an eye for wood and skill to get a nice bow.

[mikekeswick]

That is a really elegant bow to my eyes.
I have one really snakey spindle stave left. It is great wood and sands/finishes up great, just like bone as you say.

[Pat B]

Who would have thought of using euonymus for bows. I don't think I've ever seen euonymus big enough for a bow.
What a great start for 2017 to build a beautiful bow from a very uncommon wood like euonymus. Well done!   

[dragonman]

you're giving your bows some very good  tillers...the bend looks very pleasing to the eye....as a perfect thing should

[burn em up chuck]

    very very nice. I will be looking out for that wood.

                                                     chuck

[simson]

   Nice job, learning how to tiller this shape is good practice for all of us. I ran it through the mass calculator just for fun and came out with 312 grams. I figured 2' of stiff handle. Almost exactly what you ended up with.

Thanks Steve, yes 2 or 3" are stiff

Euonymus huh?  That's interesting.  Great bend on a nice clean stick.  I think the wood is beautiful

Euonymus is called Spindle Tree in UK (see Mike's post) I don't know if it grows in the States or Canada. It has some extra pink and orange fruits - really poisonous!

Who would have thought of using euonymus for bows. I don't think I've ever seen euonymus big enough for a bow.
What a great start for 2017 to build a beautiful bow from a very uncommon wood like euonymus. Well done!   

Pat, fortunatelly I have some really nice staves of Euonymus. They grow here up to little trees, the biggest I found with more than 4" diameter. The bad thing is they tend to grow twisted.

Thanks all!