Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: half eye on January 04, 2014, 03:27:04 pm
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Hey fellas,
Lately I been working on this Native American rectangle section self bows. My next step was the question "how strong could whitewood self bows really be". So I went out to the shop and found the most miserable ugly piece of ironwood I had (don't laugh till ya see the pictures). I hacked out a rectangular section single curve bow. While the section is rectangular the back and belly are crowned with square sidewalls.
The stave has 3 major knots with 2 right on the edge and real bad dog leg on the lower limb with a severe prop twist on the outside of the upper.....you know basically firewood. Well since I didn't care if it broke or not I tillered it out really stiff but with even tension....strung it up and cranked it back.....well sorta cranked it back. I had to stand on the string and pull it with both hands >:D
Anyways, my scale broke so I borrowed one but it only goes to 60# and this little bow hit that just shy of 19" so I'm quite sure it's over 70 at full draw.
Enjoy the pictures, just wanted you to know that the Native American's could make about weight whitewood self bow they wanted. This bow is made from the worst piece of wood I had and still made serious weight so I believe that Native bows could have been as heavy as they chose to make them.
rich
PS: don't let the prop twist throw ya off on the tiller 8) By the way, it's Quasimodo because it's short, hunchbacked, and real strong.
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more pictures
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Sweet bending firewood half eye! Can't wait to hear how it shoots.
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Its the kind of thing bowyers speculate about over a few beers round the camp fire - but that there is the proof. Love your work. Thanks for posting.
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Dan, that's gonna have to wait till I can send it to somebody that can draw it >:D I'm too wimpy that's how come I had to stand on the string :o
rich
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Nathan, musta been typin while you were.....well it's what happens when yer getting cabin fever, eh?
rich
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Nice bend... I can see the grunt you are pullin' there.
That's gotta be one feisty little bow.
Del
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That's awesome! I don't even think I could string that :D
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Love it halfeye!!!! I bet she will pack a punch!
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Thanks Dell, it is.
I could not think of a good way to show it's relative power so I grabbed an old cane arrow and drew as far as I could (19-1/2") and shot the shed door. Here's the pictures see what ya think.
thanks Dazv, PT...bet ya could
rich
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It might do for a rabbit bow ;-)
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Awfully serious bow for an old guy who was just farting around from cabin fever. ;D
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The man can make a bow out of anything and anyway he wants.
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Although I don't think I could ever make bows like you do....I have all the respect and appreciate your talent Sir.............
DBar
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Looks like it packs a punch!
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thank you fellas for the nice comments.....but really now :o
Dazv, maybe if their baby bunnies >:D
BB, I never thought about it but ya just might have the answer right there.....old man farts :o
Dave, if only that was true
Danzn, There's a lot of fellas on this site make way finer bows than me, mine are just plain old tools, and I'm sure you can make bows way better than mine.....thank you for the sentiment but you are selling yourself short.
SLIMBOB: I would like to see it launch some at full 22" draw. Even at 19 though it hits hard
rich
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Damn that's ugly!! Jus kiddin
It looks like a strong little monster ;)
Thanks Rich, Marco
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That is a tough little bow. Was that more of that dead standing ironwood that you were telling me about? I believe those little bows would kill anything on this continent for sure.
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I like the "shed door penetration test" :). That thing is a beast. What is your shed door made up of?
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Thanks Marco, I like that Quasimodo is ugly....he put the "U" in ugly >:D
Yup Howard, dead standing....if social security ever catches up I'll have some comin your way my friend.
bubbles: The door is 3/8" Marine plywood over a 2X4 frame stuffed with glass insulation, and that's covered by "headliner" board that's used for the headliners in Semi-Tractors.
rich
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Nice Rich. The way it went through the door love to see what it would do to a deer.
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Dang rich you prepping for water buffalo? >:D had to laugh at the shed door penetration test! Nice work as usual sir....
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Rich,
You are a short bow master. And I will argue that with anyone, anywhere, anytime...
Dynamite comes in that small package 44 1/2'' !
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Awesome!
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Love your bows. Amazing power on that one! Perfect name - it's a real hum-dinger! ::)
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Thanks again for the nice comments, appreciate them.
Trapper, BC....aint got no class at all, really though it's the only thing I could think of to give some idea of how it was hitting....regular target is froze stiff.
Arrowind, Postman: thank you fellas
BD, A "master" knows all about something...so that leaves me out, way out. I don't have any problem with short drawing this one (cause I can't get the full draw anyways >:D)
rich
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What a stick! ;D That's sweet, Rich
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Good golly Rich. Are the shoulders ok buddy? Bring it on over and let's see what a "full" draw does.
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Thanks Jodocus
I was kinda thinkin that very thing Mr. W.....no worry on the shoulders, I just stop when I have enough about 19",eh? ::)
rich
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As usual I love it!!!! Reminds me of a girl I dated ;D
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What kind of iron wood is this Rich?
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Thank you fellas, even you "Wildman" >:D >:D
Dan, most all the ironwood around here is hop-hornbeam. Just a habit I got in around here talkin with the sawyers. They call this ironwood and the other kind they call musclewood. Sorry for the confusion.
rich
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It's down right amazing Rich how you turn firewood into a bow!! I think I have the sister stave to that bow you gave me a while back. Been wondering what to do with it for a while. Now I know. Thanks!
Tattoo Dave
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man rich,that stick would blow a whole thru 2 deer..nice job..john
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I bet that rocket launcher would shoot through a deer length wise!! I like it. Flexible firewood, whooda thunk it? ;D
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Thank you much fellas, I didn't start out to make a good bow from the wood. Honestly thought it would break or something (high weight/ short bow) so I was too cheap to grab a "good" stave. So really it is a "happy accident" and I found out that the NA's could make any weight bow they wanted.....that's all I was after. (it would be lying if I said it was not a hoot to shoot though >:D)
rich
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I don't think I could pull that puppy bAck if I tried hard enough to give me a hernia :). Great bow Rich.
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Hey there Rich, I know this was dead standing, but when you harvest HHB do you strip the bark and seal it or what? I don't know why, maybe a new bowyer thing, but I been chasing all kinds of wood and even dragging osage and hickory back from Kansas. Working on second rate stuff frequently and all the while I got a buddy with 40 acres of woods thick with HHB. Soon as it gets a little warmer I am gonna take the trailer and get a full load. I got only a couple pieces from 2 years ago and you got me wanting more buddy ;)
Marco D.
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That is beastly!!
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That is a manly bow! :o
Cool
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Thank you Idaho, that's the great thing about sticks and strings, Pull it till ya cant go no more, I know all about that part >:D
Carson: YES SIR it is
Marco: The dead standing I have had the bark still on. But after 2 years in the weather it came off pretty easy with an old butchers knife. Larry (a sawyer friend) cut some green a while back that were 2" in diameter to use for closet rods, he stripped the bark and stood 'em the corner of the garage and they dried fine. If you cut smaller to medium diameter stuff (in the spring or early summer) the bark will "slip" real easy then split 'em if necessary, and seal the ends that should do it for up to about 6" maybe. The really big stuff is going to bark strip great.....splitting not so much ::) Don't know about sealing the backs though because I have never done that. If the big splits get any checking I just work around them. Most all of the dead standing is checked and I just been using that as place to start splitting. Hope that helps ya some. Oh ya, don't put 'em in the direct sun light, shade with good air flow.
rich
PS: dbb, you bet, now I got to find a man to shoot it ;D
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That is seriously crazy short. Once again you prove that there aren't many guys can make short like you do. I'm guessing some pinch finger draw to the chest type NA action would'nt draw much passed 22" anyway would it? I know Marc Stlouis been making bows outta HHB for a long time and this little bow proves it is as good a bow wood as you can get. I'm an osage freak but gotta take my hat off to the HHB on this one. Nice one. Danny
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Awesome
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Thank you Peacebow
Sidewinder, I agree wholeheartedly, made some from Osage, and more from the ironwood and as crazy as it sounds they both have a lot in common. I really like both, but that's howcome I keep saying that I do not feel "undergunned" when I use the hop hornbeam and since It's everywhere here-abouts I use that.
rich
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like I always say, " You the man. "
8)
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Hey Rich.................cool bow for someone with major biceps and a primitve heart. I need to make some special "girly points" for that bow. Maybe some raw pedernales or hornstone. Can't wait for you to shoot a stone point through your door. However, surely there is something else you could shoot at partner. Thanks for sharing your adventure. Made my day.
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Jeff, dang it, glad to see ya aint gone belly up or anything like that >:D
Mr. Hamblin, You make it and I'll shoot it.....what's one (well maybe 2) more holes in the shed, got to do some patching anyways. Just in case of a complete pass trough, can "they" trace a stone head? 8)
rich
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The "girly" points I send you for that bow would cause a major patch job on your door. However, I would like to see those results just for fun. One of these days I am going to deliver in person.
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If you send them, I'll "send" them, take pics of the autopsy as well >:D
rich
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Oh my! That's a mighty midget bow! :o. It obviously gets the job done! Wow! Josh
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What a bow!!!
Some questions: what is the string made of? what species is ironwood - carpinus???
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Thanks Josh, always appreciate your opinion.
Simson: I make all of my strings from artificial sinew (heavily waxed) this bow has 9 strands twisted. I had to google up the science on the tree but it is Ostrya Virginiana. And the said it the same Ostrya Genus that occurs in European areas.
rich
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The European version of our Blue Beech or American Hornbeam is well known in Europe but I have never seen a single person mention either using or even seeing a piece of European HHB. I wonder why tast is. It is definitely over there since the Ostrya species is far more widespread worldwide than people may think.
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Thanks Josh, always appreciate your opinion.
Simson: I make all of my strings from artificial sinew (heavily waxed) this bow has 9 strands twisted. I had to google up the science on the tree but it is Ostrya Virginiana. And the said it the same Ostrya Genus that occurs in European areas.
rich
Thanks for research and the info, Rich!
The European version of our Blue Beech or American Hornbeam is well known in Europe but I have never seen a single person mention either using or even seeing a piece of European HHB. I wonder why tast is. It is definitely over there since the Ostrya species is far more widespread worldwide than people may think.
Pat, I keep my eyes open for ostrya species - just haven't found any in my region. I have tried carpinus with success. In German it is called Hain-Buche (Buche = beech), but has nothing to do with beech. Great bowwood! with lot of character.
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Half Eye I just wanted to say that I admire your work. On this mean little bow and some of your Mollegabets, it doesn't surprise me in the least that you managed to turn that piece of wood into a bow.
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Thanks Wiley, but my bows aint very much, they are plain old hunting bows (tools) and show it >:D but I thnk you all the same.
Simson: your welcome, by the way how are the customs duties over there? If they are not terrible maybe I can send you some of the old guy's "ironwood" 8)
rich
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Thanks Wiley, but my bows aint very much, they are plain old hunting bows (tools) and show it >:D but I thnk you all the same.
Simson: your welcome, by the way how are the customs duties over there? If they are not terrible maybe I can send you some of the old guy's "ironwood" 8)
rich
Rich, you are too kind. Thanks for your generous offer. But letus save the money - the custom duties are horrible. I asked for that, because i always wanted to participate with the bow trade. But sending a bow or astave over the pond is very expensive.
I'm shure , I will find something similar here in my country - it takes a bit time.
Thanks again!
Simon