Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Stringman on June 26, 2013, 11:55:03 am
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I pulled this piece off the pile a couple months ago, while looking for something with character. Boy did I find it! When I first opened it up I wasn't sure there would be enough in the handle to keep it together. Careful whittling revealed some soft wood, but nothing that a hedge bow couldn't handle.
The handle had some natural deflex to it, so I gently heated some refelx in both limbs and started tillering. With the offset I had to work a little to get the string to line up, but soon I had it shooting and stuck some tips on the bow. I was giving serious thought to using my highly prized set of copperheads, but a little more shooting and I nearly blew the tip off the top limb. It seems the wood I had used for the overlays just wasn't strong enough to handle the 55# of fast flight force.
The limb was split badly for about 5" so I filled it with glue and clamped it down. After it dried, I sanded off the old tips and went with whitetail horn tips and knew I would never have to worry about them splitting. Some final tweaking and shooting and I chickened out and went with a sweet set of eastern diamond back water snake skins I got from Cipriano. The last piece was a small mesquite wood arrow shelf and a white leather handle to draw it all together.
This bow may not win any awards for perfect tiller, but it shoots great and is well balanced in the hand. With the deflex-reflex design it has nice early draw weight and takes no set after a lengthy shooting session. It pulls a sweet 50# @ 28" and is a very stable bow.
Thanks for looking
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A few more...
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Wow Scott, that looks like an extremely challenging piece of wood that you found a beautiful bow hiding in! The tip to tip profile reminds me of river on a road map- wandering every which way ;D.
Great work!
Tracy
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That's magic. Excellent bend.
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Lots of character in that pice. :)
Pappy
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You bet,Nice looking very wiggly shooter Scot.Maybe 60 to 62 inch maybe?Who needs to be glueing together these bows to get a R/D bow heh.
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Nice bow, Stringman! Sure looks like it was a challenging piece. The braced profile is beautiful.
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Killer job on the skins Scott. Sweet bow!
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real nice!!!!!
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Very nice!
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Looks fast. Sweet.
Gabe
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Cool! Is it a lever-bow?
I bet its fast!
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Nice work with a very challenging stave! I can imagine it was quite difficult to get a good tiller with those kinks towards the handle.
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Sweet
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wonderfull! your not helping my craving for osage. >:D
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Thats a really beautiful bow scott, great job on it. Is that the bull skin?
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Nope this skin is from a couple eastern diamondback water snakes. Did your package ever make it?
Thanks guys for the comments (and for not stating the obvious flat spot in the lower limb.) I heard a guy once say "gotta have some imperfection in everything I make, cause there's only One perfect!" Guess I'm a little like that.
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That is an amazing bow all around Scott! Well done buddy!
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Yeah ;D you were right, boa skin is really thick and heavy. I tossed it to my wife and she screamed so lound when she realized what is was lol >:D
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Wow, crazy indeed. That skin is just friggin ill. Looks really nice.
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wow that is one cool bow. i wouldnt know where to start on a stave like that. well done. :)
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That bow could easily be mistaken for a snake. I commend you for not only for taking on such a challenge, but pulling it off and making a great bow. Bravo!
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That is a beautiful bow from a very challenging piece of wood. Great job :)
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Yess :)
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Love the way those skins look. Nice work.
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Nice job on that one Scott
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Way to dig into the scrap pile and turn out a real beauty. Looks like you played that piece just right. Nice work.
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some people have all the luck..WOW,that is a master piece...john
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Yea, I only really like snake skins on a bow that looks like that--meant to be.
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Crazy cool bow Stringman 8)
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Wow Scott, beautiful stone points and a crazy cool character bows is there anything your not good at!
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Amazing. You found a fine bow in that kinky piece of wood. Those skins really set it off! Great workmanship Scott.
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SWEETTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
I'd say thats center shot for sure.
I LOVE COPPER HEADS. SKINS TAT IS, there true'lly evel looking. BUT LOOK GOOD ON A BOW.
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You got a lot out of that messed up piece of wood. I will be glad when I am able to make that transition to staves with personality!!
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Well played Scott. Very well played.. I'd say you out played the Cards >:D Everything about that bow is masterly crafted.
Cipriano
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Now that is a REAL bow. Great design, craftsmanship, and tiller. Sweet snake
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very very nice
chuck
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Thanks guys, you're all too kind.
Cipriano- thanks again for the skins. They really made this bow pop!
Art- sure is, just ask my wife! ::)
Crooked- after seeing the way this bow turned out I think copperheads woulda looked pretty good also, but I have no regrets with this choice either. And it is definitely center shot.
Lesken- sometimes the stave deserves more credit than the bowyer, this is one of them.