Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Bearded bowyer on January 24, 2015, 04:25:45 pm
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Two posts in one day..... I've outdone my self! :P
OK
My brother is an internationally acclaimed kung fu instructor, and has asked me if I can make him a traditional Chinese bow...
I've no Idea where to begin!
Anyone got any pictures I can use as a template? or experience ?
It will be going to china with him so has to look the part. I'm not fussed about using ancient techniques or materials, but want to get the look right.
Ta
Matt
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Lots of designs are pretty common throughout the world. You could claim that a plain old flatbow is a traditional Chinese bow as you can bet plenty of Chinese used similar bows.
I think you've given us too broad a spectrum here. I'd google that page I saw a couple months back where a mollegabet-like bow was unearthed in China and use that as an excuse to make another molle, personally ;) >:D
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ooooh molle........ ::)
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The mongolian bow was pretty much the standard after the mongolian conquer in 1200.
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ill bet dollars to doughnuts hes wanting one of those composite recurves with huge wooden static recurve tips and a broom handle mid section. something that really stacks and will use a thumb ring release. lol just speculating
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+1 what Jayman said....
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ill bet dollars to doughnuts hes wanting one of those composite recurves with huge wooden static recurve tips and a broom handle mid section. something that really stacks and will use a thumb ring release. lol just speculating
Have you drawn one of those things? Smooth as butter on a hot day, and the siyahs are made from very light wood. I think they could be reduced a little more than what I've seen but I'm no expert in the field. Or any field. ;D
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Can you make the working section of the limbs from timber or does it have to be horn/ sinyew etc...
Could you do a laminated bamboo/ hickory? or is it just too much for it to cope with?
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Go to the atarn site and check there
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looks like a reflex deflex with large siyahs,, i just googled and there is lots of info on those bows,, most seemed to be highly reflexed etc,,
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ill bet dollars to doughnuts hes wanting one of those composite recurves with huge wooden static recurve tips and a broom handle mid section. something that really stacks and will use a thumb ring release. lol just speculating
Have you drawn one of those things? Smooth as butter on a hot day, and the siyahs are made from very light wood. I think they could be reduced a little more than what I've seen but I'm no expert in the field. Or any field. ;D
no ive not tried one. i just assumed from the massive string angle
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That's what the siyahs are for ;) The angle between the string and the limb it's pulling on is what causes stack or lack thereof, so the highly reflexed stiff portions mean a very short bow made from material that isn't harmed by such extreme bends can be pulled much farther with no stacking.
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bubby
just checked the site, no mention of what the limbs were made of other than being bound with sinew.....
Have any of you made one? without sinew........
I can feel an experiment coming on if not........
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bubby
just checked the site, no mention of what the limbs were made of other than being bound with sinew.....
Have any of you made one? without sinew........
I can feel an experiment coming on if not........
I haven't seen any selfbows as highly reflexed as composite Asiatic bows. When I make a locust bow with 4" of reflex I expect to come out with 2", maybe more if the wood is really nice. My highest reflex bow ever had five inches and ended with four, just one inch of set, pulling ~40#@26".
I have no confidence that I could build a locust bow with ~ten inches of reflex at the end of the limbs with reflexed siyahs on the ends. I just know the belly couldn't stand up to that, and that's why horn is used. Locust could, if the back happened to be clean enough, go without sinew in my opinion as I've never had tension issues in even the most extreme situations.
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Thanks Huisme
Anyone know where I can get bits of horn long enough in the UK?
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just buy one off ebay. lol they are cheap enough and no one is the wiser XD
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Neverrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!! ;)
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You said look the part, google longbow maker.com, you can't tell what the bow is made of, otherwise, you've got months of work in front of you.
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You can make a wood sinew bow with siyahs without the crazy reflex some of the Chinese bows were quite long
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Google Highland Horn. He is a nice enough bloke and will do his best to help you get the right horns. Just get the longest ones he has, the shorter horns are no use really.
Whereabouts are you? I live in County Durham.
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No idea why you would want to make a 100% authentic one if you've never made a composite before.
Get a piece of Elm and some sinew and then stain the belly black when finished and put a high gloss finish on the belly.
(http://i399.photobucket.com/albums/pp78/pat_05/IMG_0887.jpg)
(http://i399.photobucket.com/albums/pp78/pat_05/IMG_0886.jpg)
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hey pat
that looks nice. have you ever posted a thread with more details? are the siyahs bent in or glued on? are they elm also?
willie
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Yes, I have posted about dozen or more descriptions of how to make this style of bow. The tips are steam curved and then an extra bit of Ash was added so the grain was more favorable for knock cutting.
Lower angled tips can just be spliced in but the Chinese style does have a sharper angle
(http://i399.photobucket.com/albums/pp78/pat_05/IMG_0881.jpg)
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Maybe he wants to make an authentic one >:D
It will also shoot better >:D (after 10 or so attempts!)
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You may want to post this in the "Horn Bow" section for more info.
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Do a search on here for James Parker's Chinese horn bow. it was Bow of the month, also.
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Eddie i think the pics on that were deleted
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Bubby, it will come up if you Google "James Parker's Chinese horn bow." I tried to copy and paste it but it didn't work. If it wasn't dark, I'd take a picture of it, just shooting it Sunday afternoon :).
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http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,48458.msg664170.html#msg664170
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Thanks, Pat.