Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: jeffp51 on February 22, 2020, 10:21:25 pm
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Every bow seems to have a story. This one starts about 4 years ago when I tried to make a bow for my oldest son for Christmas. About a week before, however, the osage stave I was working on exploded during the tillering process. I ended up making him a white oak bow instead, but he was never that happy with it and hinted multiple times that an osage bow would be way cooler--especially since his little brother did get one that Christmas.
My son has spent the past two years doing church service in Brazil, and I meant the whole time to make him an osage bow before he got home--which I put off until just before he returned in December. He got a half-completed bow under the tree. I spent the rest of Christmas break and January finishing it off. In the process of thinning the tips, I went to far, and the recurves started to pull out. The tips needed some underlays. I decided to use the one still-healthy limb of the Christmas bow (I never throw stuff away) to do the laminations. The older osage is considerably lighter than the main limbs. My son and I both really like the contrast. It is also nice for me to have a piece of that old bow serving on the new one. Here are some stats:
-Length: 62" nock-to-nock
-Draw weight: 50# @ 28"
-The osage stave came from a stash that Mullet traded to me a while back. Since it is just a bit on the short side, I deflexed the fades some and then recurved the tips.
-Overlays are made from African blackwood.
-Finish is 8 coats of tung oil polished with pumice powder to give a satin finish.
-Grip is two layers of thin buckskin from a deer my neighbor shot. Made from scraps left over from the quiver in the pictures.
I also made 6 bamboo arrows for the bow. They shoot like rockets out of this bow. It is the first time I have wanted a chrono to see just how fast. They are just under 10 grains/pound for this bow, which is surely part of it, but the bow feels snappy nevertheless.
Overall I am very pleased with the way it turned out. there is a nice degree of snake and character in the limbs and the grain is really pretty. The well-seasoned osage has a beautiful red-gold color to it.
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not sure why it isn't liking my pictures in need of rotation. They rotate on my computer, but not in the post.
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more
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just a few more
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Way to go, Pop! Nice job! Congrats to Adam on completing his mission work. I still like that backdrop in the pics! (S)
Hawkdancer
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Great story. I like the contrasted Osage underlays
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You made up for the delay with a finely crafted bow. I hope he gets many years of service out of it.
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Great looking bow! I love the under-lays. Very nice work. Your son looks really pleased with it!
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Excellent job. Good idea using the broken bows limb for the belly overlay. It came out great. Seems your son is happy with this one.
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Very nice bow Jeff. I’m betting that one is nicer than one he would have gotten 4 years ago. His oak bow will probably just hang on a wall now, but I’m sure it served him well.
Your son sounds like a very nice young man. I’m sure you are very proud of him.
Bjrogg
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That is a great bow and great story. Congrats on another great build!
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Very nice sir!
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Very nice bow. Got to love a deflexed recurve :)
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Very well done, like it
Hans
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Nice!! I really like it!!
My dad did a 2 year mission in Brazil before he went to BYU. It helps when im learning Spanish :)
im planning on going on one too and i hope i get a coming home present like that!!!!
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If you are lucky, you will go to Germany, instead of Brazil ;D. My second son is headed to Bavaria in April.
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Great story and great tiller on that one!
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Very nice boew. Got to love a deflexed recurve :)
Yup, I think it is my favorite style to shoot. So smooth, also really easy to string.
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Wow! Very impressive! Jawge
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Sweet looking bow. I think it was worth the wait.
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That's a beautiful bow! Good things just take their time they need. The fd pic is compressed but I do see a very nice tiller! Well done!
Congrats B2W
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NICE bow ... love your tip work. The tiller looks really good and the upper limb has some character to it. Great job ... thanks.