Regarding the back of the bow

[RakoPatcher]

  It feels like it would take away some of the authenticity of a self bow to buy a stave, though, but I'll consider that. 

WAIT just a bloomin' moment!  How about the trade routes that carried Knife River Flint from North Dakota all over the continent?  Or the osage bow collected up near Canada in the Cutbank, MT?  There was a trade in bow staves and osage saplings in the Southeast out of the Red River area of Texas.  There is a long and respectable history of trading, swapping, and buying/selling of archery materials.  Think of it as being really traditional!

There is a constant back-and-forth amongst us primitive archer types, argueing over whether some technique or other is too modern.  Some guys (like me) don't use power tools...yeah, right! I use a quarter sheet random orbital sander, all the while looking down on anyone that has a band saw!  Celebrate your hypocrisy!  How many of us tear off our modern clothes, put on skins and woven bark before we pick up our stone tools and head into the forests?  Or do we crank the i-tunes on the surround sound in the shop, flip switches for flourescent lights, and pick up imported hand forged steel tools?

For now, just make your first bow, post pics, and have fun!

That wasn't meant in a primitive-only way, but a selfmade-only way.

[Pappy]

You need to debark and take the sap wood off Mullberry,then chase a ring like Osage,Yes you need to be careful with the back even if using sinew,not as critical and a selfbow but still good insurance to keep it clean and in one ring,as for 52 inch ,ya that's short [at least for me] but a bend in the handle should get a 24 or 25 inch draw if all goes well. I use the rule double the draw and add what ever ant bending[handle and fads] on most of mine. I take the safe rout over the little more iffy rout.   Did you think about splicing 2 together,you can get all the length you need that way.What is your draw by the way ? Well said JW couldn't agree more.
   Pappy

[mikekeswick]

Yes using sinew in a way that actually helps performance isn't an easy thing to do  trust me i've found out the hard way!
I would trade for a stave around 68 inches or so and then go from there. As already said go for hickory if possible.
Save your mulberry for later.

[Slackbunny]

JW, you've got surround sound in your shop?! Lucky!

Put in a high speed internet connection and a flat screen and you'd never have to leave!

[Joec123able]

You need to debark and take the sap wood off Mullberry,then chase a ring like Osage,Yes you need to be careful with the back even if using sinew,not as critical and a selfbow but still good insurance to keep it clean and in one ring,as for 52 inch ,ya that's short [at least for me] but a bend in the handle should get a 24 or 25 inch draw if all goes well. I use the rule double the draw and add what ever ant bending[handle and fads] on most of mine. I take the safe rout over the little more iffy rout.   Did you think about splicing 2 together,you can get all the length you need that way.What is your draw by the way ? Well said JW couldn't agree more.
   Pappy

I've made 7 mulberry bows all sapwood back just took the bark off and made it the back works completely fine no need to take the sapwood off

[bushboy]

Maybe consider a board?cheap,easy to find and great for beginners

[RakoPatcher]

I don't know what my draw is, I just know my upper body is quite long.  I'm pretty new to archery in general.  So, I'm going into this fairly blind.  But not completely, thanks to the internet!  I need to finish making a draw knife (sharpened steel file with rebar handles welded on) and I'll get this first attempt going.  And with a branch this size, the heartwood is way to small, so Ill be going sapwood.  Thanks for all the help!

[SLIMBOB]

Post some pictures of what you got.

[lesken2011]

What Bushboy said. Even Blackhawk made the switch!!

[Marks]

I don't know what my draw is, I just know my upper body is quite long.  I'm pretty new to archery in general.  So, I'm going into this fairly blind.  But not completely, thanks to the internet!  I need to finish making a draw knife (sharpened steel file with rebar handles welded on) and I'll get this first attempt going.  And with a branch this size, the heartwood is way to small, so Ill be going sapwood.  Thanks for all the help!

You can go to your local archery shop and they will most likely have a bow you can measure your drawlength on. Its quick and easy. I understand your 'made from scratch on your own' mentality. I'm doing the same right now. My first attempt blew up. Just take you time and don't have any expectations.