Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: StanM on May 13, 2007, 01:45:42 am

Title: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: StanM on May 13, 2007, 01:45:42 am

I just finished this bow last night.  It's 66" ntn and about 57# at 28".  I have to thank both Gordon and Bryan for help with tillering it.  Also, thanks to those on this site that gave advice concerning snakeskins, this was my first attempt.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/missstanna/SBHazel1.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/missstanna/SBHazel2.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/missstanna/SBHazel3.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/missstanna/SBHazel4.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/missstanna/SBHazel5.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/missstanna/SBHazel6.jpg)

Stan

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: Wasatchhawk on May 13, 2007, 02:51:50 am

Wow I liike it!

I like the finish, I like the nock overlays, I like the skin Beautiful bow!

Randy

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: michbowguy on May 13, 2007, 03:00:13 am

great hat!..nicer bow tho.
jamie

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: Gordon on May 13, 2007, 03:09:14 am

Stan, that bow turned out great. You did a fine job tillering it. You'll be carrying some serious mojo into the woods this fall!

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: duffontap on May 13, 2007, 03:13:24 am

Beautiful bow.  How do you like working hazelnut?  I just cut my first hazel stave a couple months ago.  I'm looking forward to cutting more.  Great tiller by the way.  Gordon and Bryan must be good teachers.

          J. D. Duff

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: medicinewheel on May 13, 2007, 04:07:03 am

hey, very beautifull bow!   your first attempt to snakeskins not to bows, right?!
i can see a lot of gordon's style in it - which certainly is no mistake...  ;D ;D ;D
what's the overlay made from?
frank

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: Traxx on May 13, 2007, 04:26:38 am

That bow,looks outstanding Stan.That tiller,is spot on man.Good job and congrats.

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: DanaM on May 13, 2007, 07:25:52 am

Stan yer the man, A finely crafted weapon and also beautiful to look upon.
A selfbow to be proud of.

DanaM

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: Pat B on May 13, 2007, 08:48:49 am

You did an excellent job on your new bow. The detail at the overlays is great. I can see Gordon's influence...especially in the stance and hat! ;D     Pat

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: mamba on May 13, 2007, 09:54:53 am

I LIKE IT STAN - 8)

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: 1/2primitive on May 13, 2007, 10:19:37 am

Beautiful bow! Very nice tiller!
     Sean

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: George Tsoukalas on May 13, 2007, 10:21:29 am

That is really a beautifully tillered  bow. Well done. Jawge

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: a finnish native on May 13, 2007, 10:36:32 am

good looking bow. nice job with the tiller. how about sharing an unbraced sideprofile`?

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: Lost Arra on May 13, 2007, 10:39:16 am

Sweet bow.

Handle wrap material?

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: StanM on May 13, 2007, 10:54:28 am

Thank you all so much.  This is a great place to learn and gain inspiration for building bows. 

J.D. - This is the second Hazelnut bow that I've built.  It's a little over 1 1/2" wide from fade to just past mid-limb.  If I make another I'll go a little bit wider.  My first was narrower and fretted.

Frank - Yes, first snakeskin, not first bow.  The bow was made from wood cut January before last in one of the places that I hunt.  The overlays are walnut, from a tree that my wife's grandfather cut years ago.

Pat - The hat is indeed a tribute to Gordon  ;)

Finnish - Here ya go, not the best pic but it will show the profile.  The bow follows the string by just over an inch on each end.  Lower limb is shorter than upper by an inch.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/missstanna/SBHazel7.jpg)

Stan

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: Hillbilly on May 13, 2007, 10:56:57 am

Wow, that's a fine looking weapon. I've heard that hazel is good bow wood, but I haven't seen a piece here big enough to get a stave from. Great job!

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: GregB on May 13, 2007, 02:28:30 pm

Your bow turned out really nice, alot of great detail work! First Hazelnut bow I've seen... ;)

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: OldBow on May 13, 2007, 02:52:37 pm

I like it all. Got you bookmarked for May Self Bow of the Month.

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: Justin Snyder on May 13, 2007, 04:20:35 pm

Beautiful bow there. I love the transition from skins to overlays.  Justin

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: a finnish native on May 13, 2007, 06:22:20 pm

good going Stan! I like my bows so that they have 1-1½" of follow. makes them more accurate and steady for me, and still shoot great. distance bows are a different thing then.. and sinew backed ones also of course. I just can't stand seeing a sinew backed bow with string follow..

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: heavybow on May 14, 2007, 04:04:01 am

Very nice bow Stan. marlon

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: Pappy on May 14, 2007, 07:22:02 am

That's a sweet looking bow you done a mighty fine job.
    Pappy

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: jkekoni on May 14, 2007, 09:52:40 am

How did you dry it?

I mean hazel is nice to work with, but not nice to dry. I have seed perfectly straight stave to curve up while drying.

Checking and horisonal splitting are also not uncommon. The problem is the worse the wood is thick.

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: StanM on May 14, 2007, 10:35:00 am

Lost Arra - Sorry I missed your question earlier.  The handle wrap is some nylon twine I found at Bi-Mart for $1.99.  I wrapped from the bottom up.  I wrapped over the bottom of the leather strike plate for a few turns and then I wrapped under it at the top so that the leather would take the wear of the feathers instead of the wrap.  Finished it with a good dose of TiteBond before I put Tru-Oil over the whole bow.

jkekoni - I air dried this bow wood.  After I cut the tree, which was 3 1/2 inches or so in diameter, I ripped it down the middle with my bandsaw.  I left the bark on and covered the ends in glue, then let it air dry.  I still had two small checks on each end, but they did not go deep into the wood.

Thanks again for the nice comments.

Stan

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: DCM on May 14, 2007, 10:41:06 am

Really nice Stan.  That full draw pic says it all.

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: BryanB on May 14, 2007, 03:33:30 pm

Stan-
Your bow turned out really well. 
I can't wait to see it laying next to a nice deer or elk this fall.
Bryan

I found the perfect hazel nut orchard and just cut a bunch of staves.  I have 15 split and drying right now. 
I can't wait to start my first HZN bow.
Bryan

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: AndrewS on May 14, 2007, 08:34:56 pm

Fine, fine, fine. You have done a good job :)

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: Jbell on May 14, 2007, 11:43:19 pm

Wow! Nice stick! Tips are super cool, and the tiller looks superb. Congratulations.

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: NOMADIC PIRATE on May 16, 2007, 12:10:28 am

Nice arc on that bow Stan !!

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: jignfrog on May 16, 2007, 10:50:52 pm

Very nice bow. I especially like the way you did the tip overlays. You done a great job.

Ron

Title: Re: Hazelnut Selfbow with Snakeskins
Post by: jpitts on May 17, 2007, 01:27:16 am

Great bow Stan. I love how you have the tip overlays with the snake skin....too cool