Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Zion on February 10, 2013, 08:58:49 pm

Title: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: Zion on February 10, 2013, 08:58:49 pm: I seriously considered throwing this piece away. Just looking at it was a workout. When i first cut it i didn't know what hawthorn does when it dries and roughed it out, let it sit in a corner for the night and the next day it had 90 degree twist + large drying checks. I had also not taken into account that hawthorn is very prone to tear-outs, and so i had to rasp it down to much thinner than i woulda wanted because of these huge gouges. It sat in a corner for 6 months as i worked on other projects, and today i was ambitious and decided to take a look at it.

I tried taking some of the twist out with heat but that didn't work at all, so i just decided to work with it. Stringing it was pretty tricky, but from there tillering was pretty easy. At some places in the top limb especially, it looks like the tiller's off (i still need to refine it a bit) but it's mostly the twist.

I'm so surprised it hasn't broken yet, im just gonna post some pics. When it's fully done and hopefully not broken i'll update.
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: Dictionary on February 10, 2013, 09:30:58 pm: Look at that background....beautiful landscape!

Oh yeah, nice bow ::)

Very knotty and crooked. Reminds me of druids bows.
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: rps3 on February 10, 2013, 09:47:57 pm: I hope it holds for you, that is a cool looking bow.
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: Badly Bent on February 10, 2013, 09:48:55 pm: I'm beginning to think your as twisted as the wood you work lol :-\ :) :)
Seriously though, impressed with your work young man, keep em' coming.

Greg
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: Badly Bent on February 10, 2013, 09:50:54 pm: Oh, forgot to add...... thats a really nice bow Zion, I love it.

Greg
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: Arrowind on February 10, 2013, 10:00:18 pm: That's amazing. I can't believe you made a bow out of that. You got some serious skills man!
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: TRACY on February 10, 2013, 10:21:42 pm: You say you haven't wrestled for long, but it looks like you been wrestling these hawthorn staves Zion >:D

Tracy
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: Maxspin on February 10, 2013, 11:16:33 pm: When I grow up I want to make bows as good as Zion. 8)
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: Zion on February 11, 2013, 01:18:40 am: Thanks alot guys!!

I think it just might hold, i've been burnishing the back pretty heavily and will continue to for extra insurance.

Lol thanks Greg! Idk maybe i am twisted ??? ;D

Thanks Arrowind, i think with pieces like this it's both skill of the bowyer and serious toughness of the wood that determine the bow. Definitely wouldn't have been able to do this with serviceberry.

Yeah Tracy i really did have to wrestle this one a bit ;D ;D

LOLLL Maxspin your post made me laugh ;D
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: vinemaplebows on February 11, 2013, 01:50:45 am: What species of hawthorn? nice bow!
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: Markus on February 11, 2013, 07:02:30 am: Very speciale good work. Markus. :)
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: Pappy on February 11, 2013, 08:08:32 am: Nice job on a challenging piece of wood.Can't wait to see it all dolled up,Should be beautiful. :)
Pappy
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: lesken2011 on February 11, 2013, 09:26:45 am: You sure got that crooked piece of wood bending sweet!!
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: burn em up chuck on February 11, 2013, 01:29:47 pm: well done, I've seen some impressive bows come from you. keep them coming. I am curious to see how you finish it. personally i have a problem finishing my bows after i get them shooting. I'm ready to move on

chuck
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: randman on February 11, 2013, 10:27:58 pm: Very nice! And once again, near perfect tiller with a gnarly stave. Gotta love that Hawthorn. And just what exactly is it that you want to do when you grow up young man? Now that you got this professional grade bowyering down...............
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: JW_Halverson on February 11, 2013, 10:56:38 pm: What would this kid do with a really fine, straight grained piece of osage?

Zion, your willingness to take on virtually any piece of wood is only second to the results you acheive. Lovely bow, AGAIN!
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: Zion on February 13, 2013, 01:53:45 am: Thanks for the comments guys!

Thanks VM Bows. Idk what species, it does seem to be different than the stuff i tried closer to the Cascades tho. Seems denser, tougher, and much more gnarly and twisted. Splitting this stuff is pretty much impossible.

Thanks Markus! I think i got pretty lucky . ;)

Thanks Pappy, hopefully i won't ruin it or turn it into firewood lol ::)

Thanks Leskon! I'm really curious to see how this one shoots because of the twisted limbs. It seems like everytime i bend it the twist uncurls, so it feels really cool. Idk what that would do to the arrow flight tho.

Thanks Chuck, I know what ya mean about the finishing.... alotta times i just leave them plain as i shoot them in and then they stay like that.

Thanks Randman! Yeah i really do like this wood. Super tough! Well i might be able to rip some guys off with half-assed bows in the future lol ;D

Thanks JW! I guess since i started with this kind of stuff since it grows around me i've learned how to cope with it pretty good. The good results i get are usually just the ones i really focus on, and all the others i rush just break!! ;D I guess its a kind of natural selection.

Hopefully i'll get the bow finished up this weekend and get a chance to shoot it!
Title: Re: Bow From Terrible Hawthorn
Post by: bigbird583 on February 13, 2013, 11:29:07 am: That is one crazy lookin bow man. I love it. Can't wait to hear how it shoots.

Bird