juniper bow

[Aksel]

Hi, this is a juniper bow that's been lying around for a while i decided to finish and photograph. 64" ntn, pulling 45@28. 1-1/4 at widest and 0.75 " at the nocks. Its has a slightly curved belly and back but more flat than deep. Its Juniper communis, which doesn't grow very thick where Im living - the trunk was about 3 inches. Shellacked. wrapped with linnen thread to hold a crack together that runs through the handle section of the bow. Handle wrapped with strips of leather. Got 3 small logs drying but wish I could get hold of lots of this stuff...Trying to quick dry a stave atm but it warps and cracks easily so have it clamped down. I have made a few Juniper bows before and its my favorite wood to work with next to elm. Wonder how similar it is to what you have in the US? Have heard that it breaks easily but so far so good. Anyways, it's quiet and pleasant to shoot with.

[Aksel]

Nocks and full draw

[DC]

I like that one

[willie]

Wonder how similar it is to what you have in the US?

Juniperus communis- from wikipedia

It has the largest geographical range of any woody plant, with a circumpolar distribution throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere from the Arctic south in mountains to around 30°N latitude in North America, Europe and Asia.

So it could be quite similar. I have read reports from Swedish and Finnish bowyers about it being used "traditionally". Don't know if that means it was used in the near or far past. Is that a design from a historical find? or do you know of any old juniper bows from your area?

In the US, we have a few different  juniper species , not sure which may have been preferred by Native American bowyers, but it is often backed with sinew.

[Aksel]

The juniper here looks different from the stuff often called Juniper in the US so sometimes wondering what varieties of juniper people are using.

The bow is not based on any particular find.  I heard a lot growing up that the bows in the olden days in Scandinavia was made from juniper but I have never seen any proof of any old juniper bow finds from Europe but I imagine it must have been used. Without much experience working with yew it seems juniper can make the same narrow bend in the handle longbows without backing.

[mullet]

Wow! that's cool.

[Bob W.]

Looks like it can handle the bend no problem and a sweet bend it is! Nice one!

[High-Desert]

Well done! I like that look.

[StickMark]

Great photographs.  Love the simplicity of design.

[Bob Barnes]

That's a very nice bow.  I'm working on one now that is Juniperus scopulorum or Rocky Mountain Juniper.  We also have lots of Eastern Red Cedar which is Juniperus virginiana.

[willie]

The juniper here looks different from the stuff often called Juniper in the US

Does your juniper communis have red heartwood like the southern (US) varieties? Perhaps your bow made completely from the sapwood? I will have to look for J. communis when I get someplace where it grows. No juniper of any kind nearby.

[Morgan]

Looks very much like an eastern U.S. native bow. I love it.

[PaSteve]

Neat looking bow. Well done. I like it alot.

[upstatenybowyer]

That's a sweet bow!

[Stixnstones]

Very cool bow!