Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: aznboi3644 on February 01, 2020, 05:19:48 pm
-
Ok I searched Manila rope and found nothing. I have a short maple bow that pulled a splinter and I am wanting to back it with combed Manila rope fibers set in wood glue. Well I bought 3ft of 1/2” diameter Manila rope and I’m just trying to think of how to process it down into straight fibers without damaging the fibers strength.
Right now as I unravel the bow the fibers are very twisty and have a memory.
Should I soak in warm water for a bit and wash with dawn dish soap and rinse well to degrease?
-
I tried straightening some rope for something unrelated to bows. It may have been jute though. Anyway I tried heat, soap, boiling, soaking. Nothing worked. Good luck ;D ;D
-
I’ve tried steaming rope but it didn’t do anything either. Now I use some raw spun flax i found on ebay, I’ve seen other fibers available as well. Usually it’s cheaper by weight as raw fibers and saves all the trouble of making and unmaking rope.
-
Manila rope also is treated with something to help preserve it. That may affect whether it's compatible with whatever glue you use. There are lots of other handy backing materials.
-
In the UK there is a business called Wild Fibres that sell natural combed wild Fibres raw for textile crafts. I had some hemp off them that was great lovely long clean Fibres which made a great backing. Maybe you can find a similar website near you?
Here's the link to the British companyhttps://m.wildfibres.co.uk/ (Hope that's OK to post Admins I have no affiliation with the company)
Hope you can fix your Bow!
-
Ok so I steamed the fibers for 5 minutes and it relaxed them. No more twist!!!
I glued a first layer down and wrapped it down with masking tape. I’ll do a second layer later this week.
-
Perfect ;)
-
So far the bow is holding together with no sounds of the splinter lifting back up. The splinter on the back originally lifted at 50lb @ 20”. Then a splinter lifted at the handle fade as I was steam bending the handle to line the tips up across the handle.
I glued the back splinter down and applied two courses of Manila fiber set in wood glue. Then I glued the handle fade splinter down and wrapped it in Manila fiber set in wood glue.
I did a little knee tillering after letting the glue cure and scraped a little more on the outer limbs and inner fades. My dang scale broke whiling pulling on the tree. The last measurement I got was it was still pulling 50lb at 20”. Ive shot it a bit drawing to 22”. It seems like a decent shorty. I learned from it and that’s all I care about.
Stats
Some kind of hard maple I cut down in my back yard
46” nock to nock
50lb@20” (will draw to 22”)