The "You've Got to be Kidding" Birdseye Crabapple Bow

[Ryano]

JD, Thanks for the complements. I just got back from a bear hunt with hounds in West Virginia, see my thread in the hunting/shooting section. Ive had my dogs out a couple times this fall. Glad to see you posting here again, keep up the good work.
Ryano.

[akila]

I only want to say this to you...GREAT BOW...i love character bows...all the wood that i have right now has a little charcter on themm so i realy love this kind of bows...a bow like this makes you give all the best that you can...and i think that you  realy have made a beautifuul bow here....well done.

[mullet]

    JD, Just got back and saw that bow.Man,that is nice! You got my vote for BOM and Bow of the year.

[PK]

Most Exelent Craftsmanship on that bow, That Fir table aren't bad niether.

[mamba]

Just amazing,how you got a bow out of that knarly piece of wood - and a 70# to.Hang it on the wall J D it is the most beautiful ugly bow I ever seen.

[brian melton]

Damn that is nice!

[duffontap]

Burnt Hill, grab that chainsaw and go for it.  Sounds like you've got access to some good staves there.  Don't let them slip through your fingers.

Shooter, thanks for looking!

Bishop, I really appreciate the compliments.  This is an 'artful realm' as Tim Baker once put it.

Andrew S., Thanks!

Loki, you're always an encouragement.  I appreciate you taking the time to check in.

Kviljo, Thanks.  How's the smitty?

Koan, thanks a lot Brian!

wvflintknapper, Primitive? or perhaps just crazy.

Carpenter374, wow, thanks.

Ryano--cool videos Ryan.  I wish I lived in a state where running dogs was legal.  Just looks like a blast.  I meant what I said about your bows.  You're making a very serious contribution to selfbowyery by staying true to perfect tiller and practical designs.  The world needs more bowyers who think that way.

akila, Thanks a lot.  I'm looking more and more for clean, near-perfect staves these days.  I have made the mistake in the past of collecting a lot of junky staves and passing them off as 'character wood' when they were basically worthless.  This stave was a 'perfect' character stave so I did my best with it--heart and soul.  As I have said above though, character bows have their place but they are not as practical as bows made from clean staves and should be seen for what they are.  They sure are inspiring though.

Mullet, quite a compliment coming from as good a bowyer as you.  Thanks a lot.

PK, Thanks.  I made the table as a gift for my wife our first year of marriage.  I love fir.  I have quite a collection of old-growth fir I've salvaged for arrows.  I've been wanting to get a chainsaw mill so I can quarter-saw a bunch of a big log I have a permit for to use for flooring in my house.  I dream big.  Ha, ha.  Thanks again.

Mamba, it's hanging now.  Thanks. 

Brian, thanks a lot!

         J. D. Duff

[PK]

You are quite a good writer also you've got it made.Hope your dreams, The good ones come true.

[Adam Keiper]

J.D., In nearly 10 years of pouring through trad websites, that has to be one of the neatest, and most cleanly executed character bows I've seen.  The tillering, abalone inlays, and grip work are impeccable.  To think that you got 70# out of a ratty piece of crabapple is amazing!

[duffontap]

PK,  Thanks a lot.  I hope to write more in the future.  I do enjoy it.

Adam, 10 years ago I didn't even know the internet existed.  Thanks for the compliment on the tiller--that's job # 1. 

          J. D. Duff

[heavybow]

JD Thats Very nice bow. Marlon

[duffontap]

Marlon!  How are you doing man?  I've been meaning to check in with you for a while.  How are things in the CSI city?  Thanks for the compliment.  My failure to produce a 150# warbow for you still bums me out.  I like to keep my failures close to my heart. 

              J. D.

[Ghost Dog]

CARUMBA!

[Gordon]

JD, that is an extrodinary bow - the way the bow flows with the character of the wood, the flawless tiller and the immaculate attention to detail. You've learned your lessons from John well and have become an exceptional bowyer. Thank you for sharing this remarkable piece of work with us.

[duffontap]

Ghost Dog,  Thanks!

Gordon,  Thanks a lot.  It means a lot coming from such a good bowyer as yourself.  I think you would really like this wood.  It cuts and scrapes very well.  You don't get the tears and washboards that you get with vine maple or Cascara.  It's not nearly as common though.  I'd love to hear what you think of it if you can find a stave or some billets in your searches. 

       J. D.