Encyclopedia of Native Amer. Bows and Quivers Part2, page 152

[uwe]

Last years I`ve made this bow on the right for trading (swap). I made another one for me little shorter. Now I had a piece of Osage nearly in that dimension to make another one. But 1 cm longer as in the book.
IŽll show you some pics. I think you`ll know how spliced sinew looks. I didn`t make pics of the heating and turn out of the twists in the stave. Sorry.
The last pic shows a crack, glued up.

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[uwe]

Sh.., last pic was from another bow, on which I work parallel. But th "Little" has a similar one.
I put 2 layers of tendons on the back, which was worked down to one growring.
The blue plastictape is elecrical equipment. I use it for a good sinewsurface. It presses the sinew to the back.
You may ask that it sticks. No, not how I use it.
Let me explain. I stick it to the belly and before I wrap it to the back I turn the tape 180 degrees, so that the sticky side is now on top. Then I wrap it around as usual tape. I leave it in my workshop for 24 h, then unwraped it. It weighed yesterday 284 Gramm (german, not Grain) and lost in 24 hrs 30 Gramms in the cool workshop.(254 g).
Now I have to leave for at least 2 weeks.
Regards Uwe

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[1/2primitive]

Ha!    brilliant idea with the tape. I've gotta put that one in my bag of tricks.
Looking very good.
     Sean

[uwe]

Yeah, thats a really good idea, don`t know how it came to me!

[uwe]

Now, after I have finished the job nearly last Friday, I owe you some more pics...

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[uwe]

Some more...
The sinew is dyed in textil colour.

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[uwe]

It has already done a long distanceshotevent one day later. She draws 35# at 47 cm (18"). But it draws up zo 60cm (24"). But I can`t tell you how much drawweight it is then. The distance was 183,40 meters, only 2m less to a vikings yewbow. This should be little more than 200 yards , I think. Some decoration will follow, I`ll show it to you!
Regards Uwe

[Colt45]

is that a rabbit or a bird in the last picture? 

Nice bow by the way. Good save.

[JackCrafty]

Nice work!   

[uwe]

@ colt45: its a rabbit, but of tin, saved him for getting pressed on the scrabyard.
Here is a pic. taken yesterdayeve. by my wife.
I`ll have the white horsehair on the tip dyed another day with a more red dye. The textiledye doesn`t work on hair, its turning into pink... brrrrrr!

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[George Tsoukalas]

Nice looking bow and excellent tiller. Jawge

[venisonburger]

Fantastic bow, it is exactly what I envisioned making in the near future. I think I have the perfect piece of osage for it.  I will remember your tape idea it sure makes the sinew look nice.
VB

[xin]

Uwe, You've turned into the plains bow king around here.  Those stats are truly exceptional for a short bow.  I think the bowyer takes the credit for the fine performance.  Have always admired the short plains bow and you really do it justice.  Looking forward to more of your exceptional craftsmanship.

[Barrage]

Nice short bow and great idea with the tape.

[uwe]

@xin: Thank  you for the kind words, its not always easy to discover the old forms, but in Jim`s and Steve`s book is something very useful to discover. What could I do next in this way? Don`t know exactly, but the idea is to do some little recurves to this form or making this bowtype a little longer for more acurater shooting, I think of a maximum length of 50- 52".
By the way acurate shooting: my wife and I are shooting about 2- 3 times a week on 2 D animaltargets and I took the little plainsbow for a try in our hunterround (1 arrow/ target). Shooting it the usual way to shoot a bow wasn`t as efficient as shooting this bow from the hip. I shot a few kills in this manner. Its even a bequethed style of Native American shooting style and I think a style preferred by natives all over the world.
The problem of correct shooting is in mind the problem of not anchoring somewhere in the face. I begin shivering with my arrowhand because of short drawlength in combination with the short bowlength. But all in all its a little pretty and dangerous weapon with some experiences in making it. So I found that these bows have to bend slightly in the handle. Otherwise you`ll get crysals; even with OSAGE! I have a little shorter bow of this type and she shows it to me. With longer Osagebows you won`t find chrysals.
You will find the pics of the crack in the beginning of this thread. It had been at the lower tip and is hidden under the sinewwrapping.
It doesn`t make any problems. So, if some of you decide to make one, it mustn`t be the perfect bowwood, but it helps if you have it.
I took the wood because it was a little longer than the original one, so it was what I should have.
@venisonburger: try it and be careful it will work. If you need help or advice I`ll do the best to help by mail.
Regards Uwe