91
Bows / Re: February BOM entires
« Last post by sleek on February 28, 2026, 05:31:01 pm »As long as you made it in time, thats all that counts!
Recent Posts
92
Bows / Re: Loo – Maple – Black Cherry – Osage, 39# @ 28”
« Last post by WhistlingBadger on February 28, 2026, 04:40:45 pm »Absolutely beautiful work!
93
Bows / Re: February BOM entires
« Last post by WhistlingBadger on February 28, 2026, 04:31:34 pm »Nothing like squeaking in right at the deadline! Here's my latest project.
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,73561.0.html
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,73561.0.html
94
Bows / Re: Birch Bark Backing
« Last post by jameswoodmot on February 28, 2026, 04:31:29 pm »I’ve just sat down to try and find an answer for just this. I was reading a thread the other day and a guy gave a good explanation of how to do it but now I can’t find it.
I think the main thing to remember is that birch bark varies a lot and some is not suitable. It is thicker in colder climates and some has far more of the little black lines that cause it to tear.im sure it said in this thread to soak for 2 hours and then bring to a simmer to apply it but I don’t think that was to separate it
I’ll keep searching to find that thread.
I think the main thing to remember is that birch bark varies a lot and some is not suitable. It is thicker in colder climates and some has far more of the little black lines that cause it to tear.im sure it said in this thread to soak for 2 hours and then bring to a simmer to apply it but I don’t think that was to separate it
I’ll keep searching to find that thread.
95
Bows / Re: Snakey Juniper/Sinew Flatbow
« Last post by WhistlingBadger on February 28, 2026, 04:26:27 pm »Unbraced back
Unbraced profile. It holds around 5" of reflex after shooting for a while. (also, Tayo, my bow-testing assistant)
Inners. Wow, that red juniper heartwood is gorgeous stuff. Some day I want to find a log big enough to make a whole bow just from that.
Upper
Elk hoof arrow pass inlay. Juniper is very soft wood so the inlays/overlays are a necessity. I'm not completely tickled about the fit, but it works for now.
Close up of the knot wrap. I put a skin wrap on the other limb too, so it looks like it's there on purpose.
Elk hoof tip overlay
Unbraced profile. It holds around 5" of reflex after shooting for a while. (also, Tayo, my bow-testing assistant)
Inners. Wow, that red juniper heartwood is gorgeous stuff. Some day I want to find a log big enough to make a whole bow just from that.
Upper
Elk hoof arrow pass inlay. Juniper is very soft wood so the inlays/overlays are a necessity. I'm not completely tickled about the fit, but it works for now.
Close up of the knot wrap. I put a skin wrap on the other limb too, so it looks like it's there on purpose.
Elk hoof tip overlay
96
Bows / Birch Bark Backing
« Last post by CCopland on February 28, 2026, 04:22:28 pm »I would like to back one of my self bows with birch bark. There are several downed birch trees on my place and I have stripped some clean bark from them. I am having a very difficult time trying to get a paper thin layer off the bark.
Is there a trick to getting it off that thin? I end up tearing the thin layers. Would steaming separate the layers? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Colin
Is there a trick to getting it off that thin? I end up tearing the thin layers. Would steaming separate the layers? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Colin
97
Bows / Snakey Juniper/Sinew Flatbow
« Last post by WhistlingBadger on February 28, 2026, 04:20:29 pm »Finished this one up a couple weeks ago. I made it from a very twisty, bendy Rocky Mountain Juniper log which I cut with a hand saw and hauled out of the Shoshone National Forest on my shoulder. It was character building. 
Backed with four layers of elk sinew, covered with a bull snake skin. (Yep, that's all one skin--it was a rather big snake)
Elk hoof tip overlays and arrow pass inlay. Handle is wrapped with deer leather lace.
Finished with pine rosin/lard/beeswax varnish. Coyote fur string silencers.
60" long nock to nock; limbs approximately 2" wide. Has several degrees of prop twist which you can clearly see in the full draw pics. I thought about trying to remove it, but with the amount of steam bending I had to do just to get the string to cross the handle, I decided to leave well enough alone.
It pulls 45 pounds at 27". It spits 450 grain arrows at 145 feet per second, which isn't blazing fast but not too shabby for such a weird piece of wood. Thanks for looking.
There is a big knot on the upper limb that I wrapped in sinew to keep it from coming apart. Then I covered the sinew in snake skin to make it look nicer. The black dots are just decorative, made with thin hide glue mixed with powdered charcoal.
Backed with four layers of elk sinew, covered with a bull snake skin. (Yep, that's all one skin--it was a rather big snake)
Elk hoof tip overlays and arrow pass inlay. Handle is wrapped with deer leather lace.
Finished with pine rosin/lard/beeswax varnish. Coyote fur string silencers.
60" long nock to nock; limbs approximately 2" wide. Has several degrees of prop twist which you can clearly see in the full draw pics. I thought about trying to remove it, but with the amount of steam bending I had to do just to get the string to cross the handle, I decided to leave well enough alone.
It pulls 45 pounds at 27". It spits 450 grain arrows at 145 feet per second, which isn't blazing fast but not too shabby for such a weird piece of wood. Thanks for looking.
There is a big knot on the upper limb that I wrapped in sinew to keep it from coming apart. Then I covered the sinew in snake skin to make it look nicer. The black dots are just decorative, made with thin hide glue mixed with powdered charcoal.
98
Bows / Re: Ash board bow... pic heavy!
« Last post by Chumash on February 28, 2026, 03:17:25 pm »Hi Frank, nice to see that you are back again 
And that is a fantastic ash bow!
And that is a fantastic ash bow!
99
Bows / Re: Is this a suitable way to attach siyah? Updates
« Last post by superdav95 on February 28, 2026, 03:08:06 pm »Very nicely done James. You would be safe to shave more weight off those tips imo for even better speed. That heel piece likely not needed at that weight. Still decent speed at 13gpp! Your next one will be a screamer!
100
Bows / Re: Is this a suitable way to attach siyah? Updates
« Last post by jameswoodmot on February 28, 2026, 02:48:47 pm »Hopefully you can see here how I shaped the siyahs