Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: half eye on July 28, 2013, 09:24:27 pm

Title: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: half eye on July 28, 2013, 09:24:27 pm

Hey Fellas,
      I'm posting this bow so that my good friend can see it before it gets there. He asked for a Chickasaw bow that draws 50# @ 28". She came in at 49# @ 28" . I made it from some of my dead-standing ironwood and most of the 5 curve was in the tree, all I did was steam in about 1" flip to the tips. to get the extra 2 curves.
      The bow is based of museum models, museum descriptions, and even checked against drawings by a Chickasaw artist, and confirmed by the bow displayed on the "Great Seal of the Chickasaw Nation".
      What I find pretty cool is that on these "slightly double curved" (museum description) how they have a peculiar braced shape (almost like whip tillered) but at full draw they are circular....pretty cool really.
       The finish is a mixture made from spruce pitch, rendered deer fat (from Don) and bees wax also from Don. The mixture is slightly more stiff than my usual because of where it's gonna live.
Sure hope he likes it. Comments always welcome.

3 standard pics followed by some close up shots.
rich

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: half eye on July 28, 2013, 09:26:02 pm

close-up shots

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: half eye on July 28, 2013, 09:28:15 pm

Forgot to say that the writing on the grip belly says:
" bow of the Chickasaw , made by "half-eye" rousseau"
rich

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: Cardboard_Duck on July 28, 2013, 10:11:45 pm

All I can say is AWESOME!!! Great job on that one :)

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: beetlebailey1977 on July 28, 2013, 10:16:40 pm

Sweet looking bow......it looks like a Native American used it just yesterday.

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: johnston on July 28, 2013, 10:19:28 pm

All done with tools available in the 1600's. Thank you Rich, you are the master.

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: SLIMBOB on July 28, 2013, 10:28:34 pm

Your bows are always pretty special.  No exception here.  Perfect.

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: hedgeapple on July 28, 2013, 10:33:14 pm

Beautiful bow.  Great looking tiller.

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: Joec123able on July 28, 2013, 10:34:55 pm

Love the paint on the back

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: Badly Bent on July 28, 2013, 10:52:00 pm

Mighty fine Rich. Has that smooth bend as all your bows do and also that authentic look that you do so well. I always
love the way you dress a bow, your artistic designs are always well fitted to the bows. I really like this one, handsome
bow in all aspects.

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: half eye on July 28, 2013, 11:14:55 pm

Thanks fellas, but the bow shape, and decoration is based on what I could find of the Chickasaw bows, not anything I dreamed up.....wish I could take credit. It was fun to make. Used a hatchet, butchers knife for debark and "fine" shape, and a boning knife for a scraper, and went with a 12" medium cut mill-bastard file to help even out the tiller. I know they are kinda plain but I really get a kick out of their looks, and how they "feel" in the hand, and how efficient they are. Just like the Eastern NA bows.
rich

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: loefflerchuck on July 28, 2013, 11:41:07 pm

Love it!

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: Josh B on July 29, 2013, 12:20:15 am

Nothin plain about your bows Rich!  You have a knack for detailing a bow to the point that it highlights the bow and not the decoration.  Just one of the many aspects of your work that I really admire.   Josh

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: bubby on July 29, 2013, 12:34:50 am

glad to see another halfeye bow post, don't see enough of them anymore, great lookin' bow rich, bub

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: Ifrit617 on July 29, 2013, 12:42:11 am

Great looking bow there Rich, always enjoy seeing your work.

Jon

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: Carson (CMB) on July 29, 2013, 03:42:53 am

Beauty!!!

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: JonW on July 29, 2013, 08:18:15 am

Great work sir. Keep 'em comin'.

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: Pappy on July 29, 2013, 08:44:46 am

Nice bend on that one,he will love that I am sure. :)
   Pappy

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: lesken2011 on July 29, 2013, 09:19:01 am

Nice bow, Mr. Rousseau, as usual. I love the color of those tips and the back!!

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: autologus on July 29, 2013, 09:59:26 am

I never get tired of looking at your bows, your NA representations are top notch.  I really like the NA bows and your are among the best.

Grady

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: ohma2 on July 29, 2013, 10:36:55 am

beautifull ,natural and artistic they dont have to be laced with character to be a great bow .

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: wildkatt on July 29, 2013, 10:54:04 am

 >:D  verry nice. ;D ;D

Katt

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: Don on July 29, 2013, 10:54:57 am

Once again, very nice Rich.

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: ErictheViking on July 29, 2013, 12:38:42 pm

Very cool Rich.

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: burchett.donald on July 29, 2013, 01:21:00 pm

Love your bows Rich... Real beauty and superb bend on that shorty as usual. Excellent replica? I'd say the real thing.

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: sonny on July 29, 2013, 08:05:43 pm

I'd hunt with that!

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: wildman on July 29, 2013, 08:09:11 pm

Ya know I like it!!!!!!!!!

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: half eye on July 30, 2013, 09:52:47 am

I'm real glad you like it, and thanks for the nice comments. They aren't for everyone but I think there is real beauty in the First Nations bows, sort of like rude but high performance type of thing.
rich

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: simson on July 30, 2013, 04:28:45 pm

Love it!
Esp. the decoration looks very authentic, nice work

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: TRACY on July 30, 2013, 09:51:24 pm

Very nice work again! You're tiller is superb.

Tracy

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: soy on July 30, 2013, 11:04:20 pm

Wow!!!just something real special about this bow...wow!!!! :o

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: Buckeye Guy on July 30, 2013, 11:32:27 pm

Rich
If you would not mind please email me pics and as many dimensions as you can stand to write out !
I have been wanting to do one for awhile and it is time to start so I would love to get it as correct as I possibly can  !
Thanks for your inspiration !!
Guy

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: half eye on July 31, 2013, 12:12:07 am

Guy, I would do so gladly....but the bow should be arriving in South Carolina tomorrow. I'll see if I can Lane (or the new owner) to furnish those and will happily pass them on.
rich

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: Jodocus on July 31, 2013, 04:14:27 am

That's awesome, everything about it is spot on. The paint job is great, lots of spirit in this bow!
I really love seeing your bows, rich!

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: H Rhodes on July 31, 2013, 09:40:22 am

I have been missing your posts lately!  I am glad to see you are back to churning em out.  I love this one.  Everything about it says that it wants to hunt.  Fine looking bow.

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: dwardo on July 31, 2013, 12:34:00 pm

Another stunner as usual  8)

I really want to try this style of bow, or any of the Native American style bows.
Could you let me have some dimensions t get me going?

Thanks.

Title: Re: Chickasaw 5 curve self bow / for a good PA friend
Post by: half eye on July 31, 2013, 12:45:03 pm

Dwardo, Simson,  I have seen your bows and mine got nothing on them at all. I admire you fellas bows.   

I'll try to get you fellas some measurements off the bow I'm working on right now might be a while but I'll for sure get for you.
rich