Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Russ on March 02, 2021, 04:32:41 pm
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I was just wondering, whats your favorite part of making a bow? What are the things that you guys enjoy doing while making a bow?
My favorite thing to do when i make a bow are the cosmetics honestly. I love making the bow but sometimes i can put too much stress on myself so I really enjoy making it look good... Especially because i start appreciating what i just accomplished and i start thinking "I did pretty good... but how can i improve it even more..." Plus... good tip overlays just look sweeeet! 8) 8) ;D My second favorite part is heating in reflex.... hackberry smells so good when heated! ;) ;D (lol)
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My least favorite thing in bow building is removing sapwood from a well seasoned osage bow. Everything else are my favorite things. ;D
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Most favorite... probably tillering, though its a love/hate thing, especially if its a snakey stave. I also love the smell of freshly worked osage.
Least favorite is trying to sand a bow to a perfect surface before applying a finish. Its mainly cosmetic, many people don't bother and I can understand why. It doesn't make a bow shoot any better, its very time consuming, but it sure looks nice. Despite my reservations I always seem to put the work in to make sure the finishing is flawless.
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I think I change my answer every time because the whole process is so fun. I like marking out the bow and getting it cut out and trimmed up and seeing how close I can get the bend at floor tiller stage. It’s a great feeling when you brace it from floor tiller and it’s spot on.
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Least favorite - mass reduction on big, well-seasoned staves.
Favorite - when you just nail the initial thickness taper, it looks balanced as soon as you string it and it takes little work to get to full draw!
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My favorite thing to do is to use the ugliest, twisted piece of wood and try to make it into a bow.
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I really like stave hunting. Particularly sapling staves. The woods look different when you are looking for a bow in every tree lol.
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SGuise, just how crazy do you like your wood? because I have some HHB you may love >:D
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HHB makes good French rolling pins for the ladies if you have a lathe... if you're looking for something to do with staves you don't want to mess with. Quick. Easy. I make a paste with beeswax and food grade mineral oil to rub into them. Made another one tonight.
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This piece is too narrow for that, and I don't have a lathe. It would make the most impressive ELB if anyone dares try it >:D
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The two things I once hated most is what I love most now: chasing a ring and forming handles.
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Most favorite. Handing the finished product to someone who has never shot one before and watching the smile form on their face as they draw the string and let the arrow loose.
Least favorite is like Pat said. Removing sapwood. I enjoy everything in between though.
Bjrogg
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The two things I once hated most is what I love most now: chasing a ring and forming handles.
Oh yeah I hate making handles, mainly because I don't have one that I prefer yet so I always wonder if I should shape it different. My favorite thing so far shaping the tips and cutting in nocks, makes the bow look sleek and ready for use
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I looked forward to that first shot out of a bow, I am always at awe at what a simple split out of a log can turn into.
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Well, so far, my favorite part is seeing the arrow zip out of it for the first time. And having it not explode. ;D
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I'm with JW and Whistling Badger! Have to make a few more bows, but a "BOOM", would not make me happy :BB (R
Hawkdancer
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I'm with Eric & WhistingBadger... it's got to be shooting that first arrow, although, I pretty much enjoy the whole process. Very rewarding.
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I think Eric said it well, I too am in awe at the first shot, but also grateful. And as JW mentioned, chasing a ring is now bery satisfying too.
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Design, Chasing a growth ring,layout , Band saw to remove most of the mass, floor tiller, long string tiller, brace and tiller are what I like most. From rough out to heat bench is where my bows live as far as I’m concerned.Finish and strings and arrows I like the least. I hate painting or anything close to it. Arvin
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Sinking a cedar shaft off the bow that once was a stave into a mature whitetail. Then; getting on good spore to the beast piled up a short distance away on a cool Oct/November morning. Taking a good bite out that warm liver for the strength of the beast to run strong in yer veins.
Hunt like a Hedge~
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Sinking a cedar shaft off the bow that once was a stave into a mature whitetail. Then; getting on good spore to the beast piled up a short distance away on a cool Oct/November morning. Taking a good bite out that warm liver for the strength of the beast to run strong in yer veins.
Hunt like a Hedge~
Yup that’s right up there to HH
Bjrogg
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Raw liver(cooked liver for that matter) ew! :D Each to their own. No I'm not a vegan I hate Brussels sprouts with a passion.
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Sinking a cedar shaft off the bow that once was a stave into a mature whitetail. Then; getting on good spore to the beast piled up a short distance away on a cool Oct/November morning. Taking a good bite out that warm liver for the strength of the beast to run strong in yer veins.
Hunt like a Hedge~
Yup that’s right up there to HH
Bjrogg
Minus the warm liver part
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Part of my Native and Ungar bloodline i reckon. Japs eat raw beef, i eat raw fish, my forefathers would frown on me if i did follow the lineage of the bow stave and give thanks to the warrior hunter even if we cant take war trophys for the lodge pole.
HH~
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I think I could eat raw heart just not raw liver
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Pretty much all of it except the finish work, I have several I shoot and still putting of the finish work part. :) As for the raw liver part I will save that for Sister as a treat , I don't eat any thing not cooked,[meat/fish] guess that came from my forefathers. ;) :) :)
Pappy
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Been eating raw fish and meat since a small child. Raw perch fillet on the ice. Love raw ahi with sesaeme oil and majik maridade very Ono.
Like to look at staves all stacked up with those harvest dates on them. They all scream build me, shoot me, fill yer ice box with me and most of all rub oil on and love me.
HH~
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Hamish,
You might try Brussels Sprouts sautéed in butter with sea salt, garlic powder, and thyme leaves -C-! Just boiled, they suck! My wife hated them until I fixed them sautéed.
To each his/her own on the raw meat or fish, a lot of it is cultural background. Honoring the game is proper, always!
Hawkdancer
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Hey Hawkie, are you tryin to kill me? ;D There isn't enough butter, sea salt, garlic powder, and thyme leaves in the world to disguise the foul taste of sprouts. Okay maybe there is, but there would need to be a lot. (lol)
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Sort of like me and sauerkraut or dill pickles, corned beef and cabbage is right down there, too, I reckon! We do seem to use a lot of garlic and butter, though >:D (lol) -C-!
Hawkdancer
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Must be the smoke from the campfire or grill! (lol) (lol)
Hawkdancer
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This is really neat to hear what everyones favorite part is! when you look at it too closely, bowmaking doesnt seem like just making a bow, it all these little parts!
Hawkdancer... I agree on the brussel sprouts sautéed in butter with sea salt, garlic powder, and thyme leaves... but im really just that weird kid that like brussel sprouts and veggies! (lol)
HH, Ive always wanted to have some fresh raw fish, (sounds weird i know) but here in Nebraska, most all the lakes get runnoff from fields filling them with fertilizer and stuff. If i ever fish outside of nebraska in some clear water, and i have someone around to teach me how to prepare the fish right, I definitally wanna make some sashimi and try different recipies.
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Well, Cooking it is not taking it out-Deer.
When I was fishing lake Ontario many moons ago that Great Lake was so full of heavy metals and PCB's you could only eat 8oz/week week of fish flesh. Eating large ocean fish, big ones Tunas, Marlins, swords also have some heavy metals. I still eat it raw. Like it with Ogo.
Barn full of seasoned and ricked up seasoning staves is a purty sight.
Shawn~
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hmm raw liver eh? you ever been sick from that HH? id reckon not, healthier then a overcooked grossly handled factory meat...might have to try this, never quite have known how to properly respect the lost life, but I figured using It to the fullest was best I know how.
favorite part of bow making hmm..... probably like others said seeing that first arrow fly from the bow, that and I like when the tiller is looking perfect right at the beginning :)
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Gazing at a large pile of arrow straight matched billets ain't to hard on the eyes neither.
Shawn~
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I don’t know that I can pick a favorite. I put down a second course of sinew on an Osage I’m working on, last night. This morning when heading out to work it was great to check on the bows progress. It was great to see how the layer had cured up initially after the night.
Sinew work is funny...it’s beauty and the beast. Pounding and stripping sinew is tedious work. Enjoying the curing of the work is elegant.
I suppose my favorite part is the development and appreciation of patience at such a greater level.
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I love letting bow staves tiller themselves by using long even strokes from fades to tips with a gooseneck scraper.
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Gazing at a large pile of arrow straight matched billets ain't to hard on the eyes neither.
Shawn~
Shawn... I just got a great image in my head of amazing Osage staves and billets! Dunno why but it makes me happy to think about! Lol
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Just like the Gold Mining show.
"Yella Gold"
HH~