Achumawi Replica: Yew heartwood and sinew

[NOMADIC PIRATE]

Incredible !! ...I'm not much into short bows, but your bow is beautifull,  good job

[OldBow]

I think we need a new BOM category for originality.  Very Impressive.  We'll look at it again next week.

[Pat B]

Excellent bow!!!    Pat

[mullet]

  I love those bows,Nice Job!

[jamie]

excellent job not only do you have my vote this month but you have it at the end of the year also. fantastic job

[AndrewS]

What a outstanding bow! Beautiful!

[rdb]

Hey, I'm working on the exact bow!  Any way, very nice work.

Couple questions. Did you use dry heat or steam to recurve the tips? I steamed mine but for some reason, the yew seemed to want to go back to its original shape. I ultimately got some additional bend but not nearly as much as I wanted. Also, what kind of rawhide did you use and how did you apply it?

On the primitive paints, they are more time consuming than difficult. Give it a shot. They are fun to make/work with.

rusty

[Hillbilly]

That's one of the best looking bows that I've seen lately. Great, great job- looks like it was transported through time to your hands. Looking forward to seeing the Potawatomi replica now. Is it done yet? Is it done yet? How about now? 

[Pappy]

Very very nice .That is a beautiful bow and looks like you nailed it on all counts.Mighty fine job.
    Pappy

[George Tsoukalas]

She is a beauty! Well done. Jawge

[YewArcher]

Thanks guys, She sure is a beauty to shoot. Tahnks for all the compliments.

Hillbilly, The potowatomi replica is just about finished. Will probably post her up this week.

RDLB, have made plenty of yew bows and always use dry heat to bend recurves and do any corrections. The rawhide is deer.

Thanks again. I will harvest a deer with this bow this season. With a cane arrow......now I just need to learn to knap some heads....

SJM

[rdb]

RDLB, have made plenty of yew bows and always use dry heat to bend recurves and do any corrections. The rawhide is deer.

Any thoughts on adding a small amount of recurve to a bow like this that has already been sinew backed? I'd be hating myself if I screwed it up but I'm still very tempted to try. In case you didn't read it, here's a thread I started on the subject last week:  http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,2688.0.html

Also, I have never wrapped bow tips with rawhide. Do you have any suggestions or is this an operation best done with experimenting?

Thanks, and again, very nice looking bow you made.

rusty

[tom sawyer]

Beautiful bow, I'd never hit anything with it because every time I drew I'd be admiring the yew belly.

Could you give some particulars on your sinewing process?  You use hide glue, do you dip the sinew in water first?  LAy down bundles at a time I suppose?  Any combing of the ends, and how thin do you separate your individual threads?  Always interested in sinewing stuff.

[YewArcher]

rdb, No I do not think you can add recurve to a finished sinew bow. Better to start a new one. My first replica of this style bow is straight with no recurve. Its one of may favorite bows to shoot. Of course the recurve is orignal and is awsome but the straight will wokr just as well. Only thing is you need to at leats to the bent tab nocks or the string will slip off the nocks. Could do a sinew ball at the end to prevent this. Again though....i would start a new one if I were you.

As far as the rawhide tips go. I will do a build along on the next that will show that in detail.


Thanks Lennie,

I break my sinew down to dental floss size threds. I then group them in bunches of about 8-10 and sort them by lenght. I use a magazie to keep them straight and in order. When i get ready to sinew i sand the back of the bow with 60 git paper and then score it with a hack saw blade. I then wipe the back with a clean cloth. That is all the back prep that I do. I then seize tha back with a warm coat of hide glue. While the seizing is drying I start taking the sinew bundles out and submerging them in warm water. I then hand them on a rack that it over my work surface. Tis make them all visable as you are doing the sinew and expidites the process. I then start grabing the bundles and dipping them in hide glue and procedd as normal.
By pre soaking the bundles they take the hide glue better and offer mor reflex...in my experienec.

Can do a build allong on this as well if you all ee a need or desire to see it.

SJM

[DanaM]

That is an incredible little bow very well done. Congrats.