Think I have a piece of what ya'll call action wood here.

[cowboy]

I've heard it said on here before that if you cut a tree with a natural bow in it, the stave from the back side of the bow will cure out with a natural reflex to it. Well I guess that's what happened to this one , called action wood? Anyway I cut this one to 68" and added some cedar tip overlays. It has pins throughout and some of them are cut into right on the edge (roughed it out whilst still in my green months) Thought I might slim it up some (to take out the pins) and add either hide or sinew - what do ya'll think, hide or sinew???


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[sonny]

68" is mighty long for sinew.

[onemississipp]

It looks like it wants to be a bow!

Why do you feel it needs a back?

[a finnish native]

I would say that if you wan it sinew backed for 28" draw then you should be 56" long so that you could benefit from the sinew. that piece of wood would be great for it. I have seen a lot of bows over 60" long here and backed with sinew and I always wonder that why the sinew? if they want to save the bow from a limb break or a huge knot or ring violation would be easier to make another bow.

[CHUCKER]

Thats a good one Cowboy! I just finish one for my wife that took a reflex very similar to yours. It came from a 4" diameter pig nut hickory. It finished up @ 36# @ 26" just what she wanted. I also left on some of the inner bark (winter cut) she though it looked natural. A smooth fast 64" bow. I'm sure you will find the same to be true of yours, even with out backing.

[cowboy]

Hmm, that makes me think guys - precciate it. I've never used sinew on a bow, and have some shorter staves I may save it for. Don't want to cut this one down, may add some hide to it though - thier are pins all over it, and the rings are paper thin. It's just too purty to cut .

[kdub]

good luck with your bow cowboy.  Yall gettin rain over in ft worth today?  I heard we might here in Big D.

[cowboy]

Slight chance today Kdub. Nothin here but lots of hot shiny stuff, I do however see some big white puffy things in the East over your direction .

[Roger]

Hey Paul...that's a dandy man. I got some real thin Doe rawhide that would go real well on that bow. Let me know and I'll send it yer way bud! Its thin and strong...I put some on a bow and you could almost see through it when it dried....

R

[George Tsoukalas]

That's a nice stave and I agree with the hide. Jawge

[Pat B]

Paul, I built a bow form a 3" pole I split in half(See 'osage pole bow' a while back) that took that much backset. I even left some sapwood on to and it is a fine shooting bow. Put a raw hide backing on it and you will be good to go.
  One problem with that much backset is it is difficult to brace. The bow wants to turn in your hand when you try to string it.   Pat

[kdub]

Cowboy, we got pounded for about an hour yesterday, cooled things off alot.  the temp went from 95 down to 79 where i was at

[cowboy]

Thanks guys! I am going to get that hide from Sparky and go that route.