Can You See The Lakota Bow In This Stave??? ( NEW PICTURES)

[El Destructo]

Can you envision the Lakota De-flexed Handle Bow in this piece of Hedge Wood??? I can....now all I have to do is bring it out..the Stave is only 53 inches long and 5 inches wide at the widest end....but I think that this little Osage Limb will be a good Sioux Bow....we'll see!! I am shooting for about 48 inches and about 1 1/4 inches at the Handle area.....it's a little Snaky...but not bad....Will keep you posted as thing go....don't have much time this weekend....but I will get it roughed out and in the Drying Box....it was cut last Spring ....so it is probably dry enough....I am lucky it didn't split to heck....since I never removed the Bark or Sapwood!!!! What a fool I am!!!

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[Pat B]

I wouldn't go by the natural shape as to the bow style to make but split it as to the compression side/tension side and make it(the tension side) the shape you want with a little heat. Split it, remove the bark(and sapwood but that isn't necessary for a successful bow) and seal the back and ends. Even though it was cut last year, with the bark left on it might not be as dry as you think. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"! and it doesn't take but a few minutes to seal it.    Pat

[El Destructo]

Thanks Pat....I split it to the Center...saved both sides even.... So I am getting better at this!!!I stripped it to the Heartwood....I am not going to chase a Ring till it's dry....you are right....still feels a bit Damp....and I don't have a Moisture Meter either...so it's off to the Hot box with it for a while!! We'll see just how bad it twists up on me....I was planning on Heat Bending the Bow Style into it....I wasn't depending on the Natural Shape of the Limb!! I know what Hedge does after it is split!! I just have a bad tendency to look at a Stave...and it tells Me....I am a Wampanoag Bow....or I am Firewood!!!

[cowboy]

Looks like a good hunk a wood . Interested ta see what come's out of it..

[El Destructo]

Looks like a good hunk a wood . Interested ta see what come's out of it..

Cowboy........Either Magic.........or a couple of peices of Firewood......your guess is as good as Mine right now!!!

[cowboy]

 

[Marc St Louis]

It's got the right shape so I would make it just as it is. You can make a gull wing from the other side

[El Destructo]

Now thats a Though Marc.....two beautiful Primitive Designs from on Stick......cool!!!!!

[1/2primitive]

Sounds good, keep us posted! The bend of their bows was usually reflexed handle, deflexed limbs......so it was opposite to what we would do now days. You could do it whichever way, though, I suppose. It'll make a cool looking bow either way. 
    Sean

[El Destructo]

Well I could not wait any longer....so here is what I got as of today....I am still leaning on Flipping the Tips on it and making it a Recurve of sorts.....what do you think???.....I cant beleive how rubbery this stuff gets with a little Heat!!!! Anyway it is back to the Hotbox for this little guy.....It ended up 50" Long....1 1/4" thick in the Handle...and 1 3/8" wide tapering to 3/4" Tips .....so far anyways!! I shouldn't have done it....but I crowned the Top Tip....so I can put Horse Hair on it.....cut the String Nocks to....I know that this is jumping the Gun....but it seems to be dry enough....when I first removed the Bark I was worried that it may still have too much Moisture....but Saturday I took it out and tapped it on the Concrete Floor and it rang like it was Dry.....I hope that it wont split.....if it does....I'll shorten it up some more!!!

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[cowboy]

Well damn - that's lookin good! And no heat required so far - aughta be a shooter ..

[El Destructo]

Well damn - that's lookin good! And no heat required so far - aughta be a shooter ..

Posted by: yankeemongiat 

Well I could not wait any longer....so here is what I got as of today....I am still leaning on Flipping the Tips on it and making it a Recurve of sorts.....what do you think???.....I cant believe how rubbery this stuff gets with a little Heat!!!!

                                                               


It needed a little convincing to get the Bottom limb to look like the Top did naturally.... So I cheated and clamped it in my Homemade Osage Presser!!!! I made a form out of two 2X8 Treated Boards I naile together....cut the Shape I wanted....Steamed the Piss and Vinegar out of her....and clamped Her up for the Overnight....and this is what I had this Morning.....but I think I will let it cook till this weekend...then I will decide on what to do next....I know She is getting a good backing of Ostrich Sinew....but I am still thinking about flipping the Tips....really flipping them

[Marc St Louis]

I would use dry heat on the ends of the limbs and just continue the natural shape of the bend that you have at mid limb.

[El Destructo]

You think so Marc??? I was really wanting to kick them back the opposite way and make it look like a Cupids Bow of sort...you know like Reflexed Handle .....Deflexed Limbs...... with Recurve Tips.....any thought??

[Marc St Louis]

Well now you got me. Which is the belly and what's the back?