Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Marc St Louis on June 01, 2010, 03:15:17 pm

Title: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: Marc St Louis on June 01, 2010, 03:15:17 pm
I have always liked the Powhatan bows, simple and elegant.  I made one many years ago but got rid of it.  I had been wanting to make another for a few years and then last year I decided to make another one.  I tillered the bow out but then I got real busy and set it aside.  I wanted to decorate this bow a bit but the bows that have survived did not have any decorations on them so I went and did some research to see if I could find any other artifacts from the Powhatan tribe with decorations.  I found some pottery on one site that had an incised design on them so that is what I decided to do on this bow, I think it looks pretty cool.  The bow is Rock Maple 62" long and 1 1/2" wide that pulls 50# @ 28".  It's cross section is a shallow D section.  Here's a couple pics

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/Selfbows/Maple%20Bows/Powhatan/Belly.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/Selfbows/Maple%20Bows/Powhatan/BracedFullDraw.jpg)

The string is made from some linen my dad gave me a few years ago that was left over from his archery days, it's old but still very high quality.  You can see how small the diameter of the string turned out to be for a 50# bow, about 2.5 mm

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/Selfbows/Maple%20Bows/Powhatan/String.jpg)
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: Josh on June 01, 2010, 03:30:16 pm
Bow and string both look awesome, Marc.  Beautiful eye for tillering you have my friend!  :)
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: Lombard on June 01, 2010, 03:37:10 pm
Pure in form and function, really nice.
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: half eye on June 01, 2010, 03:45:03 pm
That is one sweet NA bow. Man those guys had good designs, very nice.
Rich
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: dragonman on June 01, 2010, 04:07:52 pm
Like you said, 'simple and elegant' , sums this one up perfectly!!!
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: Barrage on June 01, 2010, 04:21:48 pm
Nice bow Marc.
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: Marc St Louis on June 01, 2010, 04:24:16 pm
Thanks guys
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: dantolin on June 01, 2010, 04:34:04 pm
Perfect!
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: uwe on June 01, 2010, 05:11:55 pm
Well done Marc!
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: Del the cat on June 01, 2010, 05:13:22 pm
I see you've got the verniers.
No, I always walk this way...! ;D
(Sorry, silly Brit humour)
I like the clean simple stuff lines and minimalist abstract patern.
Mind you can have too much minimalism ::) (for pities sake Del stoppit!)
Nice draw weight for such a slim elegant bow.
Del
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: medicinewheel on June 01, 2010, 06:19:57 pm
Very nice bow Marc!
How do you make such a linnen string??
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: csabac on June 01, 2010, 07:37:56 pm
Really elegant!
How did you do those patterns? Are they on the back or the belly side, or both?

cheers,
csabac
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: okiecountryboy on June 01, 2010, 08:32:51 pm
Very nice bow Marc!
How do you make such a linnen string??

And was that design drawn or burned on?
 anyway...loved it

Ron
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: gmc on June 01, 2010, 09:44:07 pm
My favorite design, very nice arc on that bow.
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: Marc St Louis on June 01, 2010, 10:07:02 pm
And who doesn't have verniers, Del.  I have 2 sets, very handy when reloading rifle amo.

This is a very simple string, Frank.  It has 32 strands with a bowyers knot at the bottom and a simple knot at the top.  Works well enough.

The design is on the belly only and it is burnt in
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: ricktrojanowski on June 01, 2010, 10:09:32 pm
I love it, like you said simple and elegant.  Where were the Powhatan located?
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: Lombard on June 01, 2010, 10:15:54 pm
I see you've got the verniers.

Hey Del, I knew a guy who had Verniers once. Said he got them overseas. Not sure, but Penicillin takes care of it. ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: George Tsoukalas on June 01, 2010, 10:38:01 pm
Very nicely done, Marc. Jawge
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: mullet on June 01, 2010, 11:11:54 pm
 Very nice and simple, Marc. I'm working on a similar one out of Iron wood. It's nice to go simple for a change.
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: Pappy on June 02, 2010, 06:37:26 am
Nice work Marc,love the finish work and tiller is sweet. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: Parnell on June 02, 2010, 09:15:30 am
Simply awesome.  That string is great and that's about the most elegant D bow I've seen.  I love how maple shoots, I'm a big fan!
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: youngbowyer33 on June 02, 2010, 09:22:00 am
looks like a short elb. sweet bow
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: Marc St Louis on June 02, 2010, 10:09:07 am
Thanks guys.  I shot the bow many times and it shoots really well.

The Powhatan were/are located in the Virginia area
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: Parnell on June 02, 2010, 11:13:31 am
I just looked at some of their history, that tribe has quite the story.
Title: Re: Powhatan (not for BOM)
Post by: bowkee on June 02, 2010, 01:55:00 pm
Simply wonderful :)