Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Two Heart on July 25, 2017, 11:00:04 am

Title: Mystery Osage Bow - Repair or Re-purpose?
Post by: Two Heart on July 25, 2017, 11:00:04 am
Hi All, first time posting for a novice bowyer here,

A friend of mine recently acquired this bow, the original owner and bowyer are unknown.  Apparently it was left strung for the last 5, yes five, years :(  My friend would love to shoot it and asked me if there was anything to be done about some chrysaling and set that appear midway in the lower limb.  It's a beautiful piece nonetheless.  I thought I should ask the professionals here :)

Snakeskin on Bamboo on Osage
61" ntn

A few questions:
Anyone recognize the work? - It had a name written in marker on the handle, but is now illegible.
Can this bow be salvaged? - The Chrysals appear to go all the way through the osage belly.
Would gentle heat treatment straighten out the lower limb without effecting the other glue joints?
Would it be possible to thin the lower limb above and below the chrysals? Then tiller the upper limb to match?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4322/35305207974_1f2322ce10_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/VMNqjj)Liz's Bow (https://flic.kr/p/VMNqjj) by Mark Thomson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157199559@N03/), on Flickr

Title: Re: Mystery Osage Bow - Repair or Re-purpose?
Post by: Two Heart on July 25, 2017, 11:07:44 am
Some more pics...
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4330/35338407493_47db1f224f.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/VQJznP)Liz's Bow (https://flic.kr/p/VQJznP) by Mark Thomson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157199559@N03/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4313/35754372310_b05d12337c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Wtuve1)Liz's Bow (https://flic.kr/p/Wtuve1) by Mark Thomson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157199559@N03/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4291/35338398733_3efb406e72.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/VQJwLM)Liz's Bow (https://flic.kr/p/VQJwLM) by Mark Thomson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157199559@N03/), on Flickr
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4309/35305242744_0366dc2e56.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/VMNADN)Liz's Bow (https://flic.kr/p/VMNADN) by Mark Thomson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157199559@N03/), on Flickr
Title: Re: Mystery Osage Bow - Repair or Re-purpose?
Post by: Two Heart on July 25, 2017, 11:11:20 am
More photos...working on the sizes here, sorry if they are too large

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4294/35754381680_9d3aee8b3e_m.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Wtuy1y)Liz's Bow (https://flic.kr/p/Wtuy1y) by Mark Thomson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157199559@N03/), on Flickr

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4294/36145439115_51c47fc2bb_m.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/X53PL8)Liz's Bow (https://flic.kr/p/X53PL8) by Mark Thomson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/157199559@N03/), on Flickr
Title: Re: Mystery Osage Bow - Repair or Re-purpose?
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on July 25, 2017, 11:14:44 am
That's no good, sorry.
Title: Re: Mystery Osage Bow - Repair or Re-purpose?
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on July 25, 2017, 11:28:55 am
That bamboo is twice the thickness it should be. That's 50% of the reason it happened, the other 50% is from a 5 year brace. Ouchy.
Title: Re: Mystery Osage Bow - Repair or Re-purpose?
Post by: bjrogg on July 25, 2017, 11:40:47 am
I agree with Pearl. Only way to save that one is maybe you could reuse the bamboo but would be much easier to just start over and hang this one on wall.
Bjrogg
Title: Re: Mystery Osage Bow - Repair or Re-purpose?
Post by: Dances with squirrels on July 25, 2017, 11:55:34 am
Stick a fork in her... she's done.
Title: Re: Mystery Osage Bow - Repair or Re-purpose?
Post by: osage outlaw on July 25, 2017, 12:11:34 pm
Please do not try to pull that bow back. 
Title: Re: Mystery Osage Bow - Repair or Re-purpose?
Post by: bradsmith2010 on July 25, 2017, 12:34:04 pm
no I dont think it can be fixed,,you could straighten it so you could use it for display,,
 (--)
Title: Re: Mystery Osage Bow - Repair or Re-purpose?
Post by: Two Heart on July 25, 2017, 02:22:10 pm
Well, it sounds conclusive. Thank you all for your responses!
Title: Re: Mystery Osage Bow - Repair or Re-purpose?
Post by: bradsmith2010 on July 25, 2017, 04:26:23 pm
also just to add,, I dont think the chrysals came from being left strung,,
it looks like someone really over drew the bow,,,
that kind of bend came from someone drawing the bow to 30 plus inches,and the bamboo was thick as mentioned,, or maybe someone tried to string it only bending that one limb,,,,
in any case sorry for the bad news,, osage backed bamboo does make a great bow,, (--)
Title: Re: Mystery Osage Bow - Repair or Re-purpose?
Post by: Eric Krewson on July 26, 2017, 07:51:06 am
I call those bows "osage belly  bamboo bows", it doesn't look like there is hardly any osage near the tips. Whoever made that bow didn't know what they were doing, wall hanger.
Title: Re: Mystery Osage Bow - Repair or Re-purpose?
Post by: upstatenybowyer on July 26, 2017, 07:31:16 pm
Those don't even look like chrysals to me, they look like scratches.  ???
Title: Re: Mystery Osage Bow - Repair or Re-purpose?
Post by: Danzn Bar on July 26, 2017, 07:53:42 pm
+1 on all of the above....except those are not scratches.
That is a perfect example of a hinge going bad and not being address in the built stage. "It just keeps getting worse"
DBar
Title: Re: Mystery Osage Bow - Repair or Re-purpose?
Post by: Hamish on July 26, 2017, 08:57:35 pm
Wallhanger