Author Topic: Hatchet Bow contest... (Read 19348 times)

PaulN/KS · « **on:** March 24, 2008, 08:29:35 pm »

Greetings to all here. Just got registered here today and wanted to remind folks of the hatchet bow contest at Mojam.
Simple rules, harvest a stave with a hatchet and then build the bow with just the hatchet. No clamps,bench,vise or other tools...
B-50 for a string,(note,ya got to cut the threads with the hatchet BTW...) and some beeswax to rub on the bow and your string.

I won last year by virtue of being the only guy who showed up with an entry,two actually, but the cedar one blew before the contest so I entered my hackberry "creation"...it held up and passed the test but let's get a real contest going this year.

Now would be a good time to start on your entries...

koan · « **Reply #1 on:** March 25, 2008, 01:28:34 am »

Paul, got 2 hophornbeam my son and I brought down and split with the trusty axe...see ya there....Brian

markinengland · « **Reply #2 on:** March 25, 2008, 03:25:43 am »

Does the bow need to be made with just the one axe of can more than one be used, say a larger axe for cutting and splitting the tree, medium axe for roughing out, smaller hatcher for final finish and detail?
No way I could get to Mojam but I made an ash bow with axe and knife a few years ago and working on an elm one now. I have found a Gransfors Swedish Carving axe with a failry curved blade is good for taking a bow to fairly good tiller, but guess you are using a hatchet with a straighter edge. Would be good to see the tools you are using and progress through the making of the bow. Cutting the string nocks with an axe is an interesting idea! I "cheated" and used a knife on mine.
Mark in England

Pappy · « **Reply #3 on:** March 25, 2008, 10:24:07 am »

I know Gary Davis has one to enter,he was working on it at LBL this year,a small white oak
tree,it looked pretty good.He hunted with it while he was there.He was heating it over the fire and straighting it in the forks of a tree,then was rubbing it down with deer fat.Pretty cool.It shot
good also..

Pappy

koan · « **Reply #4 on:** March 25, 2008, 01:37:10 pm »

Mark, dont know if it has to be the same axe, but im usin the same one. Got an 18" handle and a slightly curved head but I would love to have the Gransfors or something similar but they are pretty pricey

. Lots of folks use side nocks on their hatchet bows for ease and string aligning issues....Brian

richpierce · « **Reply #5 on:** March 25, 2008, 06:25:53 pm »

I'd like to get in on it but may not be able to make the meet.
Can I use the hatchet any way I like? Chopping, scraping, etc? Can it be as large as a broadaxe?

markinengland · « **Reply #6 on:** March 25, 2008, 08:06:39 pm »

Brian,
The Gransfors are pricey but good. If ever a woodwork tool was sexy the Gransfors are the axe supermodels!
The wildlife hatchet is a very good all rounder. The carving axe great for a lot of wood shaping.
I found it very interesting makingmy last axe bow. Carving the bow to final shape from a half log I could understand some of the early bow shapes. They made sense in a way they didn't just looking at the sections and technical information.
Mark in England
PS I was so tempted to say that I found the wheels and cams very difficult to make with the axe on my last axe bow!

1/2primitive · « **Reply #7 on:** March 25, 2008, 08:58:35 pm »

Hi Paul, nice to see you on here.
I hope to get one going for this year, but I'm wondering how well it would do with (hopefully) all the compitiiton there. Pappy, you said Gary Davis was heating his over a fire, so that is 'legal'? I was thinking about attempting a heat treated white oak (or other wood) bow.
Sean

jeduffey · « **Reply #8 on:** March 25, 2008, 09:00:11 pm »

Thanks for the mention of Gransfors, their web site is an interesting read.

Regarding the hatchet bow contest, I was under the impression that these contests were a "live" competition. What I mean is, that each competitor showed up with a seasoned stave and a hatchet. B50 and wax are provided by the host. The start command is given and at the end of X amount of time, or the end of the day, the fellow with the best bow wins. The idea that you can show up with a completed project is, well, lame. Don't get me wrong, I'm certain that everyone doing it this way is far above criticism, the most trust worthy, salt of the earth, honest as the day is long type of fellow. But, I didn't *see* it and therein lies two facts. Firstly, we live in 2008 with frequent media covered reminders of what a bunch of liars inhabit the towns where we live. Secondly, competition is just so much more fun when it is head to head, face to face, in person, and in front of an enthusiastic crowd. The pressure, the nerves, and the self control of a mind racing with doubt. Now -that- is competition.

How about it?

jeduffey · « **Reply #9 on:** March 25, 2008, 09:17:27 pm »

Do you get extra points for making the hatchet you use to make the bow?

koan · « **Reply #10 on:** March 25, 2008, 11:31:19 pm »

jeduffey, that would be alot of fun but mojam is only a 2-3 day event and is jam packed with stuff goin on and none of us wanna miss anything.

Kinda a family reunion only you want to be there and actually visit with folks.

And no aunt with a beard tries to kiss you....

.....Brian

PaulN/KS · « **Reply #11 on:** March 25, 2008, 11:50:05 pm »

Good to see all the interest this year. To clarify some of the rules:

*One hatchet, used any way you can to make the bow is how it has always been.

* We have used the honor system these last couple of years so folks can make them at home and bring them out. This allows you to enjoy the other
fun before the test.

* You provide the B-50 and other materials for the build. If you made the hatchet that you used there will be respect, awe and a hearty WOW for your work and dedication. Alas, no extra points for that tho...

Oh, about the fire, this came up last year and the rules "committee" decided that fire was not supposed to be used .
Hatchet, stick, wax and string. It will be frustrating, humbling and give you a true appreciation for those long ago who did this with less but it can be done...

PaulN/KS · « **Reply #12 on:** March 26, 2008, 09:43:26 am »

Oh yeah,
Hey Sean, don't you let these guys "intimidate" you, I've seen your work and you can do this as well as anyone here. Besides, remember the loud CRACK that my cedar bow made when it blew...?

Heck, that was almost worth the fun of building it.
Or not...

Good thing I had the hackberry as backup.

Pappy · « **Reply #13 on:** March 26, 2008, 12:20:12 pm »

I didn't know that,Gary has been on the judging committee so I figured he knew.Wished
I hadn't brought it up.I know he heats and bends a lot of wood with a heat gun but he said couldn't use anything but fire on this one.O will he be surprised.

Pappy

PaulN/KS · « **Reply #14 on:** March 26, 2008, 01:32:07 pm »

I hope it doesn't cause a problem. Like I mentioned, someone brought up the question of using heat on another forum last year and the general consensus was to keep it "cool", as in no fire. I'm not on the rules committee, just passing on what we discussed last year. If you can start a fire with the materials allowed I'd say go for it...
Not trying to start trouble just wanting to get folks interested and participating in the contest this year...

Primitive Archer