2nd successful build - Hickory working recurve

[AniKituahBowyer]

This is an ambidextrous 60" (59" ntn) working recurve with a Flemish twist bowstring. It pulls 65# @ 28" draw, and was my birthday present to myself over Memorial Day weekend. I told my wife all I wanted was for her to give me the day to work on this. Was able to get it from a raw stave to the tillering rack on my birthday, and have tweaked and tinkered with it in the last couple of weeks. I think it's just about "done". But I'll probably continue to refine it in small ways.

[Nasr]

 Would love to see a fd pic

[youngbowyer33]

Oooo looks like it hits hard

[upstatenybowyer]

Lookin' good. 

[bjrogg]

Congratulations. It's a great feeling to draw back and let those arrows fly.
Bjrogg

[TorstenT]

Looks good, so far! Great profile!
It has an overall quite rough and unfinished look about it, though. I think your bow would profit a lot from a little bit of sanding to soften the edges... ...and it needs some kind of finish to protect it from moisture, of course (in case you didn’t already seal it when you attached the feathers, that is...)
Good job - especially considering, that the major part of the work was done in just one day! 

Torsten

[AniKituahBowyer]

Thanks, All! I'm pretty pleased with it's performance. Yes, it does hit hard  I've lost 4 braoadheads in those straw bail because they were lodged so deeply that the casing pulled out of the shafts. 

Yes, Torsten, when I say "done" I really just mean functionally. I'll dress it up a little in the coming weeks. I have put several layers of lacquer on the back to fix the crow feathers in place (with titebond III underneath), and rubbed in oil with a beeswax topcoat on the belly, handle and sides. Though I agree it could still benefit from some sanding of the rough edges, I plan to leave the inner bark scraps on the back, because I like the effect. I also have some black walnut laying around that I might use to put on knock overlays and possibly accent strike plates on the shelves.

But, like I said, it's functionally done. It shoots, I know its draw weight, and I'm pretty confident it's not going to break. 

[DC]

Crows feathers! I thought it was paint. I was wondering what Torsten was talking about. I gotta see an optometrist. Great job, it must have been a long day

[AniKituahBowyer]

Yes! Ironed crow's feathers! I think it's going to be a "thing" on my bows. I laid them on the back of my first one, too.

And yes, it was a long day. We get lots of daylight this time of the year in Seattle, so I put it to good use

[Danzn Bar]

What makes it a working recurve?...
DBar

[AniKituahBowyer]

Hi DBar, I call it a "working" recurve, because all of the recurve is available to bend in the draw. The string never actually touches the belly of the bow, so the full length of that curve takes stress when you draw it. That's the distinction I was taught. The alternative would be a more extreme curve that really just shortens the length of the bow, increasing the draw weight by removing length available to bend. The "working" part just means that the recurved portion takes on additional stress and increases the draw weight by bending that curve (which requires, and therefore stores, more energy) in addition to the rest of the bow's length. Hope that helps!