Osage sliver bow -- "2nd Chance" the rest of the story now added

[k-hat]

This is a bow i've been working on and it fell naturally to my oldest brother.  It was a cut-off from an osage stave that made a heavier bow.  It went to the burn pile, then back in the shop, back to the burn pile.  But every time i saw it, it reached out to me and said "please make me a bow!".  So i brung it back in and set to work getting rid of everything that wasn't a bow. 

This went very much by feel, and i could tell it would be lightweight, and would break a lot of rules.  But at this point it was simply a challenge to see if it would bend.  I had to "unfollow" the grain in a couple spots in order to have enough wood, and one of those spots required a sinew patch where it wanted to come apart.  I wanted very much for this to hail back to our Native roots where possible (sorry, got a dacron string and a poly finish ).  It was a very short stave so I heated the devil outta the tips and bent some statics in, even to the point of cracking the belly, but a little CA glue goes a long way securing those spots.  It was a bit like cutting and wedging the bend in as is done on some bows.

Super skinny pin nocks were in order to accommodate the small amount of wood, but they hold fine.  I put a bit of horn in for the arrow pass, it will be shot off the hand, and she has a natural dip just under the arrow pass to index hand placement.  Decorated with acrylic and india ink (i know, not primitive!).

The symbols are all native origin and "tell a story" as read from the handle to tips.  I'll add the meanings in a later post if y'all are interested.  This bow is more of sentimental value and represents a gift from the heart honoring present and past.

Simple osage d-bow, tons of character, 54ish"ntn, 28#@28" (yes, she goes all the way! no stack )

Hope you enjoy lookin:

[TacticalFate]

Beautiful bend!

[Zion]

Quite a bow to be proud of! Nice work! Congratz on getting that awesome bend, your dedication sure paid off!

[Trapper Rob]

Sweet bow.

[Badly Bent]

COOL       Bends nicely thru all that character, not an easy feat. Glad you salvaged that sliver and posted the results.

[gstoneberg]

Very nice work!  That finished out very nicely!

George

[DuBois]

Very nice. I like the primitive and natural style and the story. Thanks man, Symbols?

[Dan K]

Got any close up shots of the cracks and problem spots you mastered?  When you spin gold out of straw that's the real story brother!

[k-hat]

Thanks for the kind words gentlemen!  Dan it's osage, so does that mean i spun gold outta gold?

I didn't get any pics of the trouble spots.  The main one was there where the sinew is.  I attempted to straighten out the deflex in the knot right there, and wound up lifting some splinters on the belly (it was fine on the back).  Tried sanding/scraping past them, and put CA glue in to hold them down, but after applying the finish and shooting her some i could see they wouldn't stay put.  So i sinewed her (THANKS GEORGE FOR THE SINEW!!!!)

[k-hat]

So here is the rest of the story:

There's so much to this bow that made her fitting for my brother.  He's had a rough life (a lot of it self-inflicted from his younger years), and has paid his dues for certain.  For reasons i shall not go into, he cannot carry firearms, hence he can't hunt with'em.  So i told him i'd make him a bow (his actual hunting bow is forthcoming).  Anyhow, he's now on phase two of his life, and is taking advantage of the second chance (hence the name). 

As for the Native American symbols, we are part Choctaw with sprinkling of Cherokee, so i used stuff that was particular to them where i could, but it seems a lot of it was universal.

The upper limb represents more of the spiritual aspect of life, the things that matter the most. 
Reading from grip to tip:
*alternating 1/2 diamonds-- represents life path/journey
*tipi/tepee/teepee -- represents a temporary home (a reminder of our temporal existence)
*morning stars with sunrise -- represents Guidance (to be sought from above)
*medicine-man's eye/eye of God -- represents watchfulness and wisdom
*butterfly -- represents everlasting life
*broken arrow -- represents peace (in this case the spiritual peace I wish for him)
*sun -- represents happiness (in this case true spiritual/eternal happiness that I wish for him)

The lower limb is more focused on his journey through this life and is pertains more to specific events/changes in his life:
*horse -- represents his journey
*coiled/uncoiled snake (Choctaw) bordered by ropes -- represents his warrior nature and the various forms of captivity (spiritual, emotional, physical, external/internal, self and otherwise inflicted/imposed)
*eagle -- represents freedom
*rattlesnake jaw -- represents strength (to overcome)
*broken arrow (again) -- here is to represent the peace that i hope he can have in this life
*thunderbird tracks -- represent bright prospects, in life and i hope on the hunt!
*sun (again) -- to represent the happiness and fulfillment I wish for him in this life

Guess I coulda called this a medicine bow, there's lotsa good medicine here.   

I know, Ima sap

[rps3]

That is more than just a bow there. To second chances.

[DuBois]

I don't think you are sappy. Nothin wrong with being brave enough to create a work out of love for a brother and make a link to something spiritual with something we can actually see and touch.
I have also had what now seems almost like another past life of self inflicted troubles, and from my experience the only real changes came from finding something spiritual and beyond myself.
Hope I can make something similar for my older bro someday but I don't think he wouldn't appreciate it at this point.
I really like this post. Thank you!
Who's sappy now?

[Pappy]

Nice bow out of a challenging stave,great story,enjoyed it.
   Pappy

[Knapper]

If you want a great brother you have to be a great brother! We are all motivated to be better brothers, by people as yourself, I'm sure your brother is going to love it. Sweet bow.
Knapper

[PEARL DRUMS]

Sweet Kevin!