And I diverge .............

[mdeland]

I read that Hickory backed bows are excellent because it is one of the very best woods in tension but it's weakness is compression. The cells in the belly tend to crush if the stave is not dried well and the bow takes set. My first bow has about a 2.5 inch set already but they almost never break I've been told.
Bodark is good in both tension and compression but is hard to find straight in staves over 70 inches long. I've got some coming so will hopefully be able to give it a try next spring.
I was surprised to find that good self bows can be made from quite a variety of different woods. I bet that Ash will make a dandy Kurt.

[Glen Ring]

If you knap you're gonna bleed. Kevlar gloves sound like something I need. I have made a few bows from short staves because Osage is stubborn and crooked. A z splice is better than a fishtail splice I think...and if done right no one can tell. I always pinned my splice with a wood dowel.

[mdeland]

I got the string wound tonight , the moose antler arrow rest sanded out and the grip made to fit my hand. She's ready for the tiller tree next.

[mdeland]

photos: When the bow is tillered I'll serve the string and add an arrow marker.

[Glen Ring]

Keep us posted...Very cool.

[Kurt]

That is nice Mike, but your not done yet I dug this out of my files and if one is serious making bows it's worth watching.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXrcV4i ... mb_rel_end He starts from splitting a log or selecting boards with the proper grain laps.

[Kurt]

Timed out...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGqVHF7uFtk

[mdeland]

Good video Kurt! The tiller on a "D" bow with the stiff, non bend grip area, typically about 8 inches long, is usually accomplished with a four inch straight edge rather than the eye ball method used in the video. Tillering is an art and takes some experience to learn which I am currently in short supply of. I am learning though and each time get a bit better at it.

[Kurt]

When I was a young kid maybe 7 I used to cut willows and use shoe string and make a bow. If I couldent draw it I would just cut a smaller diameter and use it. I would look for some cane for the arrow shaft and cut some elderberry branches and push them on the shaft through the soft inner pulp for a blunt weight. Surprising how well that worked for rabbits Elderberry branches also work good for making pee shooters running a hot wire through and clean out the white pulp center. I also used them for making flutes.

[mdeland]

I want to try one of those short ,horse bows the Comanche and Apache used. They were very simple of design , only about 40 inches long and could drive a stone pointed arrow down through both lungs of a buffalo bull. I have read that they rarely drew over 45 lbs.
I once watched a demonstration of how fast and accurately a well trained warrior could release five arrows or so and it was faster than I could work a bolt gun, fire and hit the same size target. I don't see how we ever defeated them when they closed inside 40 yards with muzzle loaders or single shot rifles.

[mdeland]

I've got some caribou,leg sinew saved from my last bull and will try to get more this year. I understand the back sinew is the best/longest and I did not harvest that being ignorant of the fact. I'll collect all the sinew I can get this year from every ones kill as I'm the only one interested in it. I've not made a sinew backed bow but have watched video of it being done and understand the over lapping of strands to cover the full back of the bow.
I saw one bow backed with copper head skin and thought it the best looking bow I had ever seen. I under stand raw hide works well too but how do these bows respond to being finished with True-oil . I developed a method of gun stock seal using spray on Poly Urethane from Minwax that works superbly for sealing then go over that after 3 days of drying with several rubbed out coats of Tru-Oil.
The Minwax penetrates and water proofs the wood and the Tru-oil over that makes them look traditionally finished. I'll be using that on this laminated bow.
I asked my grand daughter last night if she would care for a bow made by grandpa and she got really excited about it having learned archery at camp. She wanted to make sure I made it strong enough to hunt with. That sure warmed my heart!

[mdeland]

I'm hoping this hickory/Ipe laminated bow works well and if so I'll make hers of the same probably about 58-60 inches long and maybe 30-35 pounds draw so she can grow into it in a few years. This will be another pyramid bow, a style which I'm really beginning to appreciate.
One needs 50 lbs for moose in AK and I don't know if she will ever be able to draw that much and shoot accurately but she should be able to do fine with deer if she can get close enough. We'll start her out on rabbits and see how she handles actually killing something.
I'm even getting so I don't like the killing part but sure do like the eating of em.
I'll need to start thinking about a rifle for her as well in a couple more years. Probably a 7mm/08 would be perfect for her.
With seven grand kids and several of them interested in shooting and hunting it looks like Grandpa has a lot of gun and bow work ahead of him!

[Kurt]

I use pure tung oil for my stocks. The pure Formsby's tung penetrates deep and it has been used for century's sealing wood boats then finish with a Formsby's finish tung oil. That is a blend.

[Glen Ring]

I can't figure out how to post a picture...I use Tung oil also but for authentic looking bows I use fat...Bacon fat does a good job...Bear grease would probably be better.

[mdeland]

I've got about a gallon and a half of rendered bear fat I may have to try it over the spar varathane which is a far better water proof-er than any natural fat. It comes out of a pressurized can and is very thin for maximum penetration.
I have read that bear fat was one of the best wood preservatives for native bows. It needs to be reapplied regularly though, I believe. It renders amber in color then turns white in the jar.
Here is my black bear skull and some caribou sinew still in the casing. I was thinking bear fat may take the place of the string wax I've been using perhaps mixed with a bit of bee's wax.