Sinew backed paddle bows

[Handforged]

No idea why I love this design but I do.  if you have some pictures I'd like to see them of Northwestern style paddle bows sinew or otherwise backed. This will be my next bow build and I'm looking for ideas from you fellers.

[Ryan Jacob]

 I don’t have much experience yet but I’ve tried making one before. It’s really hard to keep the wide limbs flat and level, any differences in the angle of of the top and bottom limb are magnified.

There’s a youtube channel called JR’s Place that might help, he has guides on making them if memory serves me well.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Check out John Riggs, fellow Michigander, he is the king of paddle bows.

[wstanley]

Look up Yurok or Hupa bow images on line and you will get quite a few photos of historic ones.

[High-Desert]

This is one I posted last year. It’s 52”, 53lbs@26”

[bradsmith2010]

i like them too,,

[Bryce]

I’ve got a couple that are almost at a year of drying.
When they really start picking up reflex they’re harder to tiller than they looks. Very careful and slight wood removal. Light scrapes or sanding or your 70lb bow is now gonna end up a lot lighter than you wanted.

[Handforged]

I’ve got a couple that are almost at a year of drying.
When they really start picking up reflex they’re harder to tiller than they looks. Very careful and slight wood removal. Light scrapes or sanding or your 70lb bow is now gonna end up a lot lighter than you wanted.

In my climate (montana mountains) they dry really quickly. Almost TOO quickly. My shoulders and elbows are a creaky mess in the last few years so something in the neighborhood of 40-45 pounds is the goal. I enjoy short bows and have made only one attempt at a paddle bow in the past and that was recently with a catastrophic failure before I could back it. I pushed a little too much too fast and paid the consequences.