91
Primitive Skills / Re: Life is good
« Last post by Pappy on March 24, 2026, 09:39:53 am »Had lots of kids, got to love that. 
Pappy
Pappy
Recent Posts
92
Primitive Skills / Re: Life is good
« Last post by Pappy on March 24, 2026, 09:38:30 am »Some good eating , new arrows, I trade feathers for arrows, got lots of feathers and always need arrows. Then the shoot starts, great bunch of guys that have done this enough that it runs very smooth, most of the time.
Pappy
Pappy
93
Primitive Skills / Re: Life is good
« Last post by Pappy on March 24, 2026, 09:35:48 am »Had a great weekend, the shoot went well 141 registered so that was a good couple of days, several wheel guys but as a good turn out Annie was so tired after a long Thursday. 
Pappy
Pappy
94
Bows / Re: Osage and Garter
« Last post by Hamish on March 24, 2026, 09:05:10 am »Cool bow. The skins look like tattoos. Looks like it would be pretty fast.
95
Bows / Re: A Success!
« Last post by Hamish on March 24, 2026, 09:01:23 am »Bow looks good as has good speed. Some of the felt handshock may be due to how you hold the bow. Its not securely in the crook of your thumb and forefinger. Because of this its not going to feel secure.
You can also pad out the grip, on the back with glued on shims of leather. Shape it to a comfortable grip, helps to absorb shock. You could also use a heavier arrow, but you will lose some speed.
You can also pad out the grip, on the back with glued on shims of leather. Shape it to a comfortable grip, helps to absorb shock. You could also use a heavier arrow, but you will lose some speed.
96
Bows / Re: A load of failures and some lessons
« Last post by jameswoodmot on March 24, 2026, 07:05:05 am »Thank you all! Looks like I’m nowhere near a qualified bow breaker yet!
Ain’t no way to know where the line is until you’ve crossed it
Ain’t no way to know where the line is until you’ve crossed it
97
Bows / A Success!
« Last post by jameswoodmot on March 24, 2026, 07:03:57 am »After the last run I thought perhaps best to go back to basics a little before doing more experiments.
I had the other half of the Hazel stave from the long bow I posted a couple of weeks ago.
I have it MUCH less heat treatment than the last two bows I’ve done but still a good cooking.
This is the bow that I had intended the last Hazel bow to be but as I got bandsaw happy on that half of the stave it came out lighter.
Needs prettying up yet and a little bit of tiller work. Think I’ll give the last 6” another cook and narrow them slightly. Will be sure to get it shot in before then. Probably around 50 arrows at the moment.
Ended up as my fastest bow yet which is very cool, good to join the 170’s club. I am shooting it at 28” which is a long draw for me, 26” is what most of my bows are tillered to. I was shooting with the tillering string which is much thinker and made out of amazons cheap string material that is sold as HDPE, I was getting mid 160’s with that and then made an 8 strand FF string and was getting between 171 and 176 (mostly around 174). Amazons stuff is definitely not bad but I think I’ll make a lighter string for this bow and from it and see how it stacks up. £2.50 a roll vs £40 a roll is worth losing a few fps over I think.
This bow does have a little handshock, I’m finding most of the bows I make over about 35lbs seem to be this way. I’m narrowing tips to the point that some are pulling straight, think my overall tiller is ok. I’m wondering if a 40lb + bow is ever going to be a gentle to shoot as a 30lb bow orif there is just more energy in the system so inevitably some gets into your hand. It’s not like it’s trying to dislocate my elbow or anything but it’s not the “dead” feeling at release that in after. Wish there was a way to quantify handshock.
On bendy handle too btw, just a tiny bit
67” long, 1 1/2” at widest point
2 1/4” reflex after rest (photo after shooting)
43@28”
420 grain arrow low-mid 170’s
I had the other half of the Hazel stave from the long bow I posted a couple of weeks ago.
I have it MUCH less heat treatment than the last two bows I’ve done but still a good cooking.
This is the bow that I had intended the last Hazel bow to be but as I got bandsaw happy on that half of the stave it came out lighter.
Needs prettying up yet and a little bit of tiller work. Think I’ll give the last 6” another cook and narrow them slightly. Will be sure to get it shot in before then. Probably around 50 arrows at the moment.
Ended up as my fastest bow yet which is very cool, good to join the 170’s club. I am shooting it at 28” which is a long draw for me, 26” is what most of my bows are tillered to. I was shooting with the tillering string which is much thinker and made out of amazons cheap string material that is sold as HDPE, I was getting mid 160’s with that and then made an 8 strand FF string and was getting between 171 and 176 (mostly around 174). Amazons stuff is definitely not bad but I think I’ll make a lighter string for this bow and from it and see how it stacks up. £2.50 a roll vs £40 a roll is worth losing a few fps over I think.
This bow does have a little handshock, I’m finding most of the bows I make over about 35lbs seem to be this way. I’m narrowing tips to the point that some are pulling straight, think my overall tiller is ok. I’m wondering if a 40lb + bow is ever going to be a gentle to shoot as a 30lb bow orif there is just more energy in the system so inevitably some gets into your hand. It’s not like it’s trying to dislocate my elbow or anything but it’s not the “dead” feeling at release that in after. Wish there was a way to quantify handshock.
On bendy handle too btw, just a tiny bit
67” long, 1 1/2” at widest point
2 1/4” reflex after rest (photo after shooting)
43@28”
420 grain arrow low-mid 170’s
98
Bows / Re: Osage and Garter
« Last post by jameswoodmot on March 24, 2026, 06:33:27 am »That’s a handsome bow! Love the unbraced profile! Looks like it’s excited to get shoot some arrows.
99
Bows / Re: Osage and Garter
« Last post by superdav95 on March 24, 2026, 12:57:25 am »That looks awesome bj! Love the character in that one too. I bet it’s fast with that stored energy. Love those garder snake skins too. Nice.
100
Bows / Re: Question about Osage and bamboo?? And bow build
« Last post by superdav95 on March 24, 2026, 12:47:38 am »Hey Arvin I suspect that if you get that book strip nice a thin with good taper on both limbs and glue that to this ideal growth ring Osage you will have no issues with the tiller. If you can get good glue up and heat treat that boo strip you will have a winner I believe. Just my opinion. As for the mass of your use a thinner boo slat to utilize more of that precious dense power fibers and less bulk on the fleshy side you will be less mass by at least a little bit and move that neutral plain in the right direction to more towards the mid thickness of the Osage.