Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Weylin on December 05, 2015, 03:22:13 pm

Title: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Weylin on December 05, 2015, 03:22:13 pm
I wanted to try out a couple new things so I decided to do them at the same time. I've been ogling Simon's HLD bows for a long time now and finally decided to give it a go. I also wanted to make a Molle style bow so I decided to sandwich them together and see what I could come up with.

I had a straight, clean yew sapling with a nice high crown for the hollow limb design. I enjoyed the new method of tillering, it was slower going with a little more to pay attention to but worth it in the end. I don't have the fancy curved chisels so I had to do all the tillering with a goose-neck scraper after I got it to floor tiller. That slowed it down even more. I decided that I didn't want to make the ratio between the working limbs and the levers very extreme on this bow due to the width of the stave but I did decide to flip out the tips a bit.

 The sturgeon skin came from a younger fish so the scales are small, which I think goes well on this bow. I decided to take advantage of the translucent nature of the belly skins that I used by making a gradation of dye on the back of the bow going from black, to brown, to natural sapwood. I'm really pleased with the effect and it reminds me of a nebula or something of that nature.

I used a beaver tail to make the handle wrap. It's really amazing stuff, tough as iron and about as easy to work with. You have to be careful not to tear out the holes when you are lacing it. To protect against this I glued to strips of thin leather to the edges that get laced. I punched my holes through that and it gave me more security when I pulled the laces tight. Despite the bent needles and curse words uttered while lacing it up, I'm really pleased with the look and feel of the handle.

Both the sturgeon skin and the beaver tail were gifts from my friend Art. The tip overlays are sheep horn. The last bits from a nice two-tone horn that I had. The decoration hanging from the handle is made from the large scales on the back of a sturgeon and a couple wooden beads.

The finish is tru-oil and the string is fast flight with muskrat fur silencers.

I intend for this to be my elk hunting bow for next season. I really like the way that it shoots. It is dead in the hand and packs a solid punch. I will definitely try the hollow limb design again.


(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5835/23424246562_1a94b1fcf6_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/BFVoq3) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/712/23461693351_f6f84437ea_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/BKej3k) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/649/23506647466_ef426d9c4b_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/BPcHkh) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/675/22905625193_909a2f9516_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/AU6jmi) (https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5641/22904440004_a53f2d834a_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/ATZf31) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/779/22905604853_33ff8ff954_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/AU6diB) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/698/23506617926_5083532a52_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/BPcyxY) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/583/22905638863_c5b17aa209_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/AU6opZ) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/634/23450298151_3ffdf22be5_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/BJdUDn) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/705/23506644946_981dfb0922_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/BPcGzQ) (https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5625/23450264431_1f155f081f_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/BJdJBZ) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/723/23424251662_ac2ed3c15b_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/BFVpVY) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/642/23164765609_a0f9268826_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/BhZtLv) (https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5652/23164767919_64dbb9004d_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/BhZusk) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/569/22905590663_2fdfd529d4_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/AU695X) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/605/23424192982_aa6b627973_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/BFV7uf) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/691/23176194899_34fc5f2077_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Bj14ie) (https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5724/22917061673_208e9679e9_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/AV6W1Z) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/572/23176192629_581a135ab1_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Bj13C6) (https://farm1.staticflickr.com/701/23435615902_1ff663d9c3_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/BGVE89)
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: DC on December 05, 2015, 03:35:36 pm
OOOOOHH!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: bradsmith2010 on December 05, 2015, 03:37:07 pm
very nice thanks for sharing
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Pat B on December 05, 2015, 05:00:45 pm
Very cool bow.  8)
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: H Rhodes on December 05, 2015, 05:35:57 pm
Awesome!  That is beautiful.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Badly Bent on December 05, 2015, 05:41:02 pm
WOWZA!  That bow has it all, absolutely beautiful Weylin. Every detail in your work on this one really made for a stunning bow.
That dye job paired with the skins is especially striking.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: loon on December 05, 2015, 05:52:18 pm
Woooooooow!
Very pretty! And very fast, I bet
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Weylin on December 05, 2015, 06:15:51 pm
Glad that you liked it, DC.  :)

Thank you and you're welcome, Brad.

Thank you, Pat.  8)

Thanks! H Rhodes

Thank you, Badly  Bent. That's high praise. I always admire the coloring effect you achieve on your bows. I use them for inspiration.

Thank you, Loon.  ;D
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: TimBo on December 05, 2015, 06:50:39 pm
OK, that is amazing.  I can't think of anything that really does that bow justice, except that I want to jump through my screen, pick it up, and shoot it.  Excellent work - hope the elk like it too!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: bowandarrow473 on December 05, 2015, 07:23:17 pm
Dear God, That is one awesome bow!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: loefflerchuck on December 05, 2015, 07:45:35 pm
Perfection!
 I like the white dots on black boarder. A little tribute to Ed Scott.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: steve b. on December 05, 2015, 08:18:05 pm
Very cool Weylin.  A lot of work there.  You got the patience thing down.  Very cool grip.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: GB on December 05, 2015, 08:39:42 pm
That is superb.  Everything is just beautifully done.  Love the dye work on the skins and that beaver tail grip...Wow!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Peacebow_Coos on December 05, 2015, 09:32:10 pm
That's a beautiful bow Weylin, every part of it.  And I too have been ogling that HLD, well done from tip to tip sirs.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Weylin on December 05, 2015, 09:46:12 pm
Haha, thanks TimBo! Fortunately for the elk, the bow's only as good as the hunter.  :-\

Thank you, bowandarrow.

Thanks, Chuck. I didn't realize that Ed Scott did that pattern. I'll have to dig around and check out his work a little more closely.

Thank you, Steve. It was a lot of tedious work but I really enjoy that part of it. It's good to see you around and making bows again. Hope to bump into you again soon.

Thank you, GB. :)

Thanks, Peacebow! Simon's bows are pretty amazing. I'll definitely try this again. I think it would be cool with oceanspray.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: bubby on December 05, 2015, 10:13:04 pm
An elk would be proud to give it up to that bow, that would be going out in style
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: IdahoMatt on December 05, 2015, 10:32:16 pm
Man that thing is amazing.  Great work man.  It's been a while sense I have seen one of your bows.  Always love seeing em.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: wizardgoat on December 05, 2015, 10:53:32 pm
Wow, you know how to pretty a bow up.
I love small diameter yew, they never disappoint in the beauty and character.
Great bend on it too
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Bryce on December 06, 2015, 01:01:05 am
Love it!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Del the cat on December 06, 2015, 03:09:43 am
Woo, that is real class.
Del
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: sieddy on December 06, 2015, 03:11:14 am
Holy catfish Batman that thing is insane! Absolutely stunning the sturgeon skins do have that cosmic look! :-)
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: bushboy on December 06, 2015, 03:14:10 am
That bow rocks dude!love it!skins look awesome,sturgeon are protected here in canada,but I guess it's for a reason.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: rps3 on December 06, 2015, 09:24:24 am
Every element of that bow is striking in some way. Congratulations on a fine bow, and I wish you success hunting with it.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: BowEd on December 06, 2015, 05:03:56 pm
Heck of a nice bow Weylin.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Danzn Bar on December 06, 2015, 05:57:53 pm
Excellent work....fantastic detail......wow
DBar
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: ssgtchad on December 06, 2015, 07:20:22 pm
Woohoo that's really nice!! I think Simon would be impressed!!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: jandersson on December 06, 2015, 09:51:04 pm
That is real pretty! Very nice details.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: FarHunter on December 07, 2015, 12:38:29 am
That's purdy right there!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: blackhawk on December 07, 2015, 06:53:40 am
Real nice there weylin ;)
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Aaron H on December 07, 2015, 02:19:46 pm
That is gorgeous in every aspect Weylin.  Perfect execution
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: portlandfire on December 07, 2015, 07:06:46 pm
The Best!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: steve b. on December 08, 2015, 08:26:25 am
Weylin I have the fancy curved chisels and they work ok in the beginning, to establish the trench, but not so much later.  They can dig too deep when you hit pins and swirls so you end up switching to that scraper and sandpaper pretty fast.  Lucky your stave was yew; you should try that scraping on oceanspray!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Ruddy Darter on December 08, 2015, 09:15:30 am
That's a very classy bow, ace job.  8)


  Ruddy Darter.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on December 08, 2015, 01:15:10 pm
Nice work Weylin. I see a lot of time consuming detailed work, I like it.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Carson (CMB) on December 08, 2015, 02:13:36 pm
Top notch work all around. The dye work under the sturgeon skins really gives it a special look. The full draw looks great, it looks really balanced in the hand.
Bow of the year!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Carson (CMB) on December 08, 2015, 02:16:01 pm
By the way, I am totally irked you beat me to the hallow limb design. I just cant seem to find the time to finish mine up. Nice execution of that design. Next time, let me know if you need to barrow some nice old gouges.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Weylin on December 08, 2015, 07:57:16 pm
Wow! Thank you all for the kind words and appreciation for my bow! It means a lot to have your feedback.  :D

Steve b., I figured the chisels would only be good for the initial shaping and the real tillering would be with the scraper. I definitely appreciated the easy nature of the yew in this processes. I'm sure the oceanspray will be a different story.

Thanks, Carson. I will take you up of the offer for the gouges. Can't wait to see your johnny come lately!  ;D ;)

Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Josh B on December 09, 2015, 12:20:28 am
I do believe that you have outdone yourself with this one.  Considering your previous works, that's no small accomplishment.  Very nicely done sir!  Josh
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Weylin on December 13, 2015, 01:50:17 pm
Thank you, Josh. I appreciate your work too. Still love to shoot that Prairie Rattler. :)
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: JW_Halverson on December 13, 2015, 02:03:34 pm
Thanks for making the rest of us feel stupid, clumsy, and un-artistic.  Makes me wanna go knap spalls off a granite boulder with my forehead!  So, on behalf of my fellow knuckle-draggers, WELL DONE, SIR, WELL DONE, INDEED!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Hans H on December 13, 2015, 02:25:52 pm
that`s a really craftmanship, congrats to that awesome bow, Hans
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Weylin on December 22, 2015, 06:40:46 pm
Haha, Thanks JW! Something tells me you aren't any of those things.

Thank you, Hans!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: burn em up chuck on December 22, 2015, 10:53:06 pm
     very pretty

            chuck
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Pappy on December 23, 2015, 06:50:17 am
Beautiful bow in all areas. Very nice work. :)
 Pappy
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Will B on December 23, 2015, 07:55:28 am
That bow is AMAZING.  Great job and good luck with the elk.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: The Gopher on December 23, 2015, 09:54:46 am
HOLY SMOKES!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Urufu_Shinjiro on December 23, 2015, 12:05:25 pm
HOLY SMOKES!

That pretty much sums it up...lol
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: lostarrow on January 05, 2016, 11:31:00 pm
Damn fine bow! Those skins look great ! I was just looking at a rawhide backed black cherry blank on my bench and was thinking it might look good with "stitching "painted on . This bow confirms it .  A real feast for the eyes!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: medicinewheel on January 06, 2016, 05:42:49 am
Beautiful bow, nice profile, great finish!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: TimPotter on January 06, 2016, 07:57:13 am
Man that's beautiful work.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: dantolin on January 06, 2016, 02:35:38 pm
Wow!!! Congrats for that bow! It came out incredibly nice :)
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Stoner on January 06, 2016, 11:44:03 pm
As I said on the other site, Outstanding Craftsmanship. John
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: freke on January 07, 2016, 11:31:48 am
Very very nice bow -  an absolute stunning backing colouring achieved, but you would get my full score even without it as it is indeed a very nice looking mollegabet bow :)
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: simson on January 09, 2016, 11:17:55 am
Absolutely gorgeous bow, Weylin.
Sorry for the late response, I wasn't here for about 2month or so. Glad, Carson pointed me to your web site and to this bow.

I have waited so long, til one of you guys is trying a HLD  - and now what a result. Perhaps you can pm me your experience in shooting, cast etc. of this bow?

The finish work is breath taking, congrats!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Nate on January 10, 2016, 05:16:09 pm
Wow! I am in awe.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Weylin on January 11, 2016, 07:24:17 pm
Glad you finally saw it, Simon and I'm glad it passes inspection.  8) I'm looking forward to trying it again. I have a nice fat piece of ocean spray that is seasoning with this same general layout.

Thank you, Nate!
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Tillstave on January 14, 2016, 05:28:01 am
Nicely done, once again. The sturgeon skins are killer and the arrow matching the design takes the cake.
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: Onebowonder on February 02, 2016, 11:31:10 am
This is a very special bow.  A surpassing beauty if ever there was one!

OneBow
Title: Re: Sturgeon-Backed Yew Mollegabet with Hollow Limb Design 60#@26"
Post by: osage outlaw on February 02, 2016, 11:45:17 am
Great work on that one Weylin