osage molly warbow (now with pictures)

[ken75]

Craig, ive heard the accounts of the molly being a childs bow,and i dont dispute them. It is a great and efficient design if tillered properly (all too often bending in excess near the handle). I am curious about the design evolution of different styles and i think each had its on purpose and was based on generations perfecting its on designs. Which brings me to wonder if the actual bow remant found was a childs bow based on a design used by adults, either way ive built 25 or more mollys and their a proven design to me .

Noel , lookin forward to seeing this osage molly come to life . have you got it bending yet ?

[fishfinder401]

not much free time lately, im currently finishing up my ash warbow, and trying to complete all my school work, my teachers this year put more work this week than in some entire months

[criveraville]

Ken,

Well, at least the Molly you sent me isn't a kids bow... My buddy came over the other night, we went in the back yard and shot it.. Talk about a fast, flat and hard hitting bow! I sit in class sometimes just thinking of getting home and shooting that bow..

I never really saw myself hunting "primitive" with an arrow that I made and a flint head.. Just didn't think I could be efficient and I wouldn't go after deer as a so so archer.. They deserve better than that.. BUT after shooting that Molly for just a short time I am a changed man. I have been converted. My neighbor brought me a flint arrowhead on Sunday that I intend to put on an arrow that I make and shoot it from that Molly.. I need to name that bow, and I'm gonna put skins on it..

PS.. Diego absolutley loves the Molly you made for him!! He's good with it too.. And Rich, that Molly you made my daughter is now adorned with with horse hair (from her hoese- a descendent of Secretariat), and she enjoys shooting it and admiring the bow!

Thank you Rich and Ken for graciously giving to my family, especially my children

y'all are real gents 

[CraigMBeckett]

Craig, ive heard the accounts of the molly being a childs bow,and i dont dispute them. It is a great and efficient design if tillered properly (all too often bending in excess near the handle). I am curious about the design evolution of different styles and i think each had its on purpose and was based on generations perfecting its on designs. Which brings me to wonder if the actual bow remant found was a childs bow based on a design used by adults, either way ive built 25 or more mollys and their a proven design to me .

Ken,

It may well be that the bow was based on an adult sized one, it equally may not, until other contemporary artifacts of similar design are found it is only speculation either way. And yes I have seen the photos of similar shaped bows being exhibited in a Russian museum but doubt its veracity. I  have yet to find any reports on such bows.

It may well be that such a design escaped acceptance or recognition by the people at the time or were regarded as being too much work for little to no gain.

Craig.

[ken75]

have you built any mollys craig ? they may not have been wide spread or accepted but im damn glad some portion of an artifact remains for us to base our work on. i alter mine by tapering width of the working limb wether historically accurate or not it is an improvement in design . it keeps from concentrating the force at the handle fades

[ken75]

nevermind i went through all your post and you dont do pics

[fishfinder401]

nevermind i went through all your post and you dont do pics

that sounds a little stalker ish i know its not, just a quick first glance
by the way, this discussion is giving me allot of background on these bows
thanks
noel

[CraigMBeckett]

have you built any mollys craig ? they may not have been wide spread or accepted but im damn glad some portion of an artifact remains for us to base our work on. i alter mine by tapering width of the working limb wether historically accurate or not it is an improvement in design . it keeps from concentrating the force at the handle fades

No I don't, I do not like the aesthetics of the bow design, the majority of bows I make are medieval style English bend through the handle Warbows with the occasional lighter weight stiff handled ELB. Which is why I have trouble finding suitable native Australian woods for my bows.

Now having answered your question may I ask the reason behind it? The discussion was on the historical facts not on who made these bows or their relative efficiency.

Craig.

[ken75]

just the way the conversation rolled ,dont worry bout it these tend to stray all the time.  historical facts are great but i get the most joy from the build and im interested in the performance also like most others are i believe.

elb bows are fine ,the ones i've built have had more hand shock than i like , but i guess with heavy enough arrows like i would imagine were used with them it would calm them a bit.

as far as bow wood quality you should make friends with some of these Yanks they got some wood that would work with your design.

Noel , i'll hush now so you can post us some pictures of your "osage molly warbow" lookin forward to it !

[CraigMBeckett]

Ken75

as far as bow wood quality you should make friends with some of these Yanks they got some wood that would work with your design.

Unfortunately it costs in the region of $150 to have a stave (warbow sized) couriered from the states to Australia, I know that is what it cost for the yew stave I have seasoning in my shed. The stave itself cost $250 so all together $400. Makes the hobby a tad expensive even if the stave were free.

If you are getting hand shock from ELBs I suggest that your limb tips are probably too massive, or possibly your horns are too big or both, what you must remember is that even the really heavy Mary Rose bows were only approximately 1/2" (12.5mm) dia at the point where they began the cone for the horns, that is a point 40 to 50mm from the tip of the limb. So lighter bows should have correspondingly lighter tips.

Craig.