Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Blacktail on September 11, 2014, 12:55:38 am
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has any ever seen a west coast bow that was made with out ANY backing on it...i have wanted to try it on some yew but i dont know if it would hold up for there shortness..john
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John check out the American Museum of Natural History database. There are bows from different tribes from all across the country. Yes there were plenty of bows made without backing.
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Blacktail from what I've seen, the west coast bows are all heavily sinewed. Being so wide and thin the ratio of backing to wood is essential to the bow's performance.
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There are many examples of West Coast bows that are all wood.
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JonW, I should clarify, I was referring to Ishi and his Yahi people. If I recall most of his short bows were backed with sinew and a few with rawhide.
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Steve Allely has a chapter on Ishi,, and shows some bows,, self,, and rawhide backed,, as well as sinew backed,, unbacked ash ,, and unbacked yew,,
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If you just read kroberer's book it doesn't go into alot of detail but jon is correct, sinew, rawhide and selfbows plus longer length for taller people
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It is reported,that there were selfbows used even among those known for sinew backed bows.Some people in various locations of the WC region,were known to use self bows primarily.
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Yes. We have an Allely bow that is unbacked VM, decrowned and real short that I'm assuming shoots but they won't let us shoot it :/