Horn bows

[zodiac703]

Has anyone made a gemsbok horn bow or buffalo? If you have I'd really like to know its construction.

[LEGIONNAIRE]

There are a couple of videos in you tube I believe the author is "bowstick" two of them concentrate on gemstok horn. hope that helps

[M-P]

Zodiac,  There have been many horn bellied bows posted here.  For a details of Turkish bows you might check out Adam Karpowicz's Book  On Ottoman Turkish Bows.    Ron

[KenH]

There have been a few recent discussions about the gemsbock "whole horn" bows too.  Try the Search function to see what was said.  My understanding is that they tend to be excessively heavy - weight-wise and draw-weight-wise as well.

[zodiac703]

I looked at bowstick and realised my friend has just made one pullin 140# at 28". Had a really fast cast too.

[dragonman]

yeh, Adam Kaporwicz's  book  has all the info you need, worth getting if you are serious to make one, the best book on the subject right now I'd say

[ohma]

a friend made one of solid gemsboc says its almost impossible to string and shoot in cold weather.it is a cool looking bow snd shoots with authority when he can get strung.

[aero86]

man, thats one bow that i would pay money for.  no way i could make one of those.  so awesome looking!

[KenH]

How much money ya got there aero86??  I know where to get a close matched pair of gemsbok horns...

[dragonman]

I'm no expert on this , but I bought some gemsbok horns from a guy who made a few of these full horn bows, and they didn't shoot too well, they looked better than they shot!!! and as for splitting them and flattening them out for a regular horn bow, I found that almost immpossible!!! Buffallo horn is much simpler . Make 2 flat  belly laminates and your away relatively simple.

[james parker]

dm,,i agree, the whole horn bow does  look great ,but is terrible to shoot,,and the cast is slow, also,ive made several bows several differnt ways to get as much out of the horns as possible,just wont work.... on another note you can maximize the yeild of the horn by cutting up one side ,bioling the horn then flattening it out with boards and clamps,this way you can cut out two horn strips that will stay wide,,thus one horn = two strips..

[Shadow Walker]

After having made a 48" horn bow, I am a firm believer in what I have read on several ocasions;;;" They're only good performers at 100 pounds or more"
I made mine  at 50 pounds and it was heavy and slow. Since I can't draw 100 pounds, I won't bother with horn as a belly material again.

[M-P]

I've omly made one successful horn bow so far, so I'm not an expert.  The successful bow is a short (42' ntn) Turkish style bow.  It's 45# @ 24" and seems to be as good a performer as any of my other 45# bows.  It's not really superior either, but it sure is cool    Ron

[dragonman]

its my understanding , after considerable research, that for a horn bow to be efficient everything has to be just right, otherwise they aren't worth the bother. If everything is right though they will perform as good as a modern fg recurvre!! They sure are a lot of work though and take a long time to complete