Wiggle handled 68" osage & arrow shafts

[BowEd]

Hello fellas....
Here's an osage bow that except for 1 delay it gave me came out pretty good.Mostly because it did'nt break....Ha,Ha,Ha.Anyway it's from 1/2 of 2 halves from a 4 to 5 inch tree.Thought I had it done a while back keeping it a self bow but a small splinter came up taking a full draw picture and a fix was in order.Some tapered combed flax over the splinter with smooth on epoxy and a couple of strips of yearling deer rawhide did the trick.Did not notice any poundage gain from that.It's been put though the motions of about 300 arrows and sweating now so I'm confident it'll hold up.First time I've used rawhide so I decided to stain it too.Fiebings' leather dye filled the bill there.Sheep horn overlays on the tips.A simple jute string handle wrap.A black horn inlayed dot strike plate.A lacquer finish over all of that.
The bow is 68" TTT,66.5" NTN.Pulls 47#'s @ 28".For safety reasons I tillered it to 29" @ 49#'s and some change.I noticed working with it to floor tiller while removing wood it seemed harder than most to my farriers rasp.It took no set at 24 to 25 inches so I flipped the tips a bit.It gained maybe a couple of pounds doing that.Still very reasonable set taken to 29" yet.
It rests @ 3" reflex.After shooting a few hours it unbraces to about 2.5" and then back to 3" after 2 hours rest.Total mass weight finished is 18.75 ounces.
The only heat put to this bow has been on the outer 6" of each tip.Otherwise all ala natural.The handle wiggle placement of the arrow pass makes it a true center shot bow.Just a plain pleasant efficient fun bow to shoot and fun to make.Quite a lengthy description I know but I can't help it.It's shorter than a build along though...LOL.Bookoo pics coming.Thanks for looking.First a pic of the fix.















Full draw....About a foot down from the tip of the top limb is a slight propeller that makes it look like a stiff spot but it's ok.

[upstatenybowyer]

That's a beaut! I'm working on a 68" hhb right now. Thought about flipping the tips but thought it might not be worth it at that length. Any thoughts?

[BowEd]

Even at 68" flippng tips to get more early string tension is desireable.Stiff and narrow they should be to reduce mass.It all depends whether your bow is showing set or not while they are straight.Flipping them if the bow shows a fair amount of set at 25" will mostly negate your efforts of flipping those tips.HHB is some pretty good wood.You'll just have to moniter it as you tiller.

[Stick Bender]

Wow nice bow Ed I really like the blended leather dye & jute wrap gives it a great rustic look , from the pics you get a sense of a  very nimble looking light mass bow congrats ,hope you get a chance to poke a few dear with that one.

[DC]

Nice job Ed. I'm a little confused through, was the picture of the fix taken before you put on the rawhide?

[upstatenybowyer]

Cool. Thanks for the insight. I'm planning on molly-esc outer limbs so I left some thickness out there. I'll see where she's at at 25"

That really is beautiful work. Love the overlays, handle wrap, color transition on the back, ect. Very unique looking. 

[BowEd]

Thanks fellas.
Stick Bender....The lacquer layers worked.It did'nt chyrsal and crack....lol.The dye did get darker though of course.It'll kill a deer.I'll guarantee you that.Cast on this bow is pretty blame good.I'm having a frustrating season here.3 arrows no deer.2 really nice 4 year old 8 points too yet.One 2 year old 6 point.Last year 1 arrow/1 deer.I'll keep trying....lol.
DC....Yes the fix of combed flax was done before the rawhide went over it and the finish work.I can't seem to do a sort of build along with each bow I post.I did'nt want wraps so flax and rawhide filled the bill.

[penderbender]

Great looking shooter! I really like the tips! Cheers- Brendan

[BowEd]

Thanks penderbender.I'll be back in a bit to comment some more.

[BowEd]

upstatenybowyer.....The handle wrap was left natural color then glazed over with TB3 glue then the finish put on over that.The dye work on the rawhide was a little recollection of doing BBO's in the past like Dean Torges way of a sunburst only without the yellow and red color.

[osage outlaw]

Beautiful bow Ed.  I really like the flipped tips.  I'm a fan of that profile.

[bubby]

Ed i think you are getting this figured out😜
Great looking bow !

[Hrothgar]

Nice job, really like the finish--the furs too!

[Orrum]

Hey grest bow!!!   Like the house, great furs.

[Pat B]

Ooo Ed, you got those wiggles all in the right places.