Author Topic: Mulberry Reflex/Deflex  (Read 9964 times)

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Offline SLIMBOB

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Mulberry Reflex/Deflex
« on: June 16, 2019, 03:33:41 pm »
Finished this one up today.  Or nearly.  I have undone the handle wrap and I am flipping the bow over.  It just shoots much better flipped.  But, outside of that technicality, it's done.  A few thoughts.  I love Mulberry...If I had but one wish in 2019, that wish would obviously be that all the children of the world would join hands and sing together in the spirit of harmony and peace.  But if I had 2 wishes...yeah the first would be that crap about the kids, but the second wish would be that I had an unlimited supply of sweet Mulberry at my finger tips.  (hat tip Steve Martin).  I loved working with this wood.  I think the comparisons with it being a cousin to Osage are misleading a little.  Much softer than Osage.  The heartwood works more like Hackberry to me.  Except it does work like a dream under the drawknife unlike Hackberry.  Getting the sap wood off was a nightmare, but once underneath it the heartwood will do most any thing you ask it to.  Although somewhat easily dinged if your not careful, it surprised me once I had a string on it.  I was certain it would snap before I got to 27 inches, or at least lose all of its muscle and take a lot of set.  Wrong on both.  It never worked up a sweat getting to full draw and it settled in with 1 7/8 inches of reflex and stayed right there.  It's about 1 inch of reflex when first unstrung and then shortly after it rebounds to 1 7/8 inches.  Had to glue in a handle section as it got to thin right there in the middle. It shoots really sweet (especially since I flipped it over).  The R/D aspect is guess work for me as I don't have a lot of experience with them, so the tiller is more or less what I thought looked right than anything else.  Any comments on that aspect from you R/D guys is welcomed.  Any way, thanks for looking.
The specs....
Texas Mulberry (Red)
67 inches ttp
Reflex/Deflex
About 1 5/8 inches wide at the fades
parallel to mid limb and then tapered to about 1/2 inch at the tips
Black Cherry tip overlays
48 lbs at 27 inches btw.
« Last Edit: June 16, 2019, 04:21:27 pm by SLIMBOB »
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Offline SLIMBOB

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Re: Mulberry Reflex/Deflex
« Reply #1 on: June 16, 2019, 03:34:36 pm »
Braced and money shot.
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Offline osage outlaw

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Re: Mulberry Reflex/Deflex
« Reply #2 on: June 16, 2019, 03:41:16 pm »
That's a very nice looking bow!
I started out with nothin' and I still got most of it left

Offline SLIMBOB

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Re: Mulberry Reflex/Deflex
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2019, 03:53:30 pm »
Thanks Clint.  Glad you checked in.  Very glad you like it!
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Offline burchett.donald

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Re: Mulberry Reflex/Deflex
« Reply #4 on: June 16, 2019, 03:55:05 pm »
 Bob,
          You got that right, that is "money"...Nice bend, balance and craftsmanship buddy...Excellent finish and tips are beautiful...I mean you got that Hackberry in spades man...
                                                                         Don
Genesis 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

Offline Dvshunter

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Re: Mulberry Reflex/Deflex
« Reply #5 on: June 16, 2019, 03:56:53 pm »
Nice handle wrap on a nice looking stick!
"There is a natural mystic blowing through the air; if you listen carefully now you will hear." Robert Nesta Marley

Offline SLIMBOB

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Re: Mulberry Reflex/Deflex
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2019, 04:14:40 pm »
Hey Don.  Thanks!  I am pretty proud of this one.  Not so much the finish work, although it's not bad, I just love this bow.  The sweep of the limbs and the way it shoots.
Thanks Dvshunter.  The handle wrap like this was a first for me.  I do like the way it feels in the hand with it.
Liberty, In God We Trust, E Pluribus Unum.  Distinctly American Values.

Offline tipi stuff

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Re: Mulberry Reflex/Deflex
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2019, 04:32:54 pm »
That’s a good un!

Offline upstatenybowyer

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Re: Mulberry Reflex/Deflex
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2019, 04:37:37 pm »
Very nice indeed! I'll bet she's smooth as silk (you know they couldn't make silk without mulberry trees).  8)
"Even as the archer loves the arrow that flies, so too he loves the bow that remains constant in his hands."

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Offline SLIMBOB

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Re: Mulberry Reflex/Deflex
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2019, 04:39:31 pm »
Thanks Curt.  This is that Mulberry we cut on your place 6 and a half years ago.  I know to someone with your advanced age it seems like just yesterday.  ;D

Thanks upstate. 
« Last Edit: June 16, 2019, 04:42:59 pm by SLIMBOB »
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Offline Pat B

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Re: Mulberry Reflex/Deflex
« Reply #10 on: June 16, 2019, 04:53:19 pm »
Very nice mulberry R/D bow, Bob. I'd bet she is a sweet shooter at that length.  :OK
Mulberry is very nice bow wood.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Woodely

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Re: Mulberry Reflex/Deflex
« Reply #11 on: June 16, 2019, 05:05:16 pm »
I like the length.  Beautiful bow and finish.
"Doing bad work is an exercise in futility, but honestly making mistakes is trying your best."

Offline DC

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Re: Mulberry Reflex/Deflex
« Reply #12 on: June 16, 2019, 05:14:46 pm »
Very nice, I like that one :D

Offline bjrogg

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Re: Mulberry Reflex/Deflex
« Reply #13 on: June 16, 2019, 05:51:37 pm »
Looking good Slimbob. Afraid I haven't gotten very far on that mulberry I stripped the sapwood off of. Kinda hoping the weather straightens out and I don't have time to till winter. Your giving me some serious inspiration though.
Bjrogg
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Offline SLIMBOB

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Re: Mulberry Reflex/Deflex
« Reply #14 on: June 16, 2019, 07:18:43 pm »
Thanks Pat. I appreciate your input on this one.
Thanks woodely
Thanks DC.
Thanks bjrogg. Hope you get to plow, but if and when you tackle that Mulberry...mmm,mmm good!
« Last Edit: June 16, 2019, 08:08:10 pm by SLIMBOB »
Liberty, In God We Trust, E Pluribus Unum.  Distinctly American Values.