Archery - Primitive Bows

linen thread for bow strings

feeds@yuku.com (wharfrat) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:18:06 GMT

Anyone have an opinion if today's Irish or non-Irish linen thread/cord is strong enough to make a bow strings. If so what thickness would one use? 12/3, 18/3 or 3,4,6 ply cords? I want to try making a bow string from linen thread.

bowyer blues and a question about checking

feeds@yuku.com (oneraindog) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:19:15 GMT

phew

i have a whole new respect for bowyers. i was never under the impression that it would be easy. but you dont appreciate the level of craftsmanship until you are asked to give it a try yourself.
i only hope that one day ill have the skills to make pieces as beautiful as ive seen from others.
for now i plod through ham fisted, feeling half drunk.

so this is the raw...

New guy with a backing question

feeds@yuku.com (jhrper) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:54:18 GMT

Hello everyone. I'm new to the forum but have been lurking for a while looking at all the wonderful and inspiring pictures of your work. I haven't strayed too far from red oak board bows yet but I plan on it. Anyway, I was wondering what you guys consider your favorite backing? I have backed my bows with fiberglass reinforced packing tape with success but boy it is ugly. And fiberglassy .... Thanks ahead for your...

Heat bending

feeds@yuku.com (lintin1) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:31:56 GMT

Can you guys give me a link or explain everything about using heat or steam to make deflexes, reflexes and recurves?I am quite confused about those techniques.

Thanks a million

Shooting video

feeds@yuku.com (NOMADIC PIRATE) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:45:18 GMT

I only have my dougther 2 days a week, so she seldom shoots but I think she's quite promising .....so today I took a video of her

broken bowstrings -- solve this mystery?

feeds@yuku.com (devin) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:23:00 GMT

I've made two linen bowstrings for a 35 lb. juniper bow and the both broke after just a few shots, and they both broke in the same place, right at the knot ( a bowline.)
I have used this type of string and knot in other bows of approximately the same weight with no problems...there are two differences here:
1. this bow has some recurve and it's not at all straight, so the string often pops in and out of the nock on one side.
2. I...

Goat-Elb

feeds@yuku.com (Juri) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:32:11 GMT

I made this bow from a crooked and twisty yew hart wood billet, originally meant for a one limb only.
The limbs are attached each other using w-splice. The back is reinforced with goat rawhide, glued with hide-glue.
The bow is 68" long, 45# @ 27". I tried to get 50 pounds but there was not enough wood for that.
Its 27 mm (1-1/16") wide at the handle and 29 mm (a bit over 1-2/16") at the end of the fades.
Top limb is 2 inches longer than the lower one....

Osage for winter, Guava for summer, Ipe anytime

feeds@yuku.com (NOMADIC PIRATE) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:04:56 GMT

A few months back I was hunting with an Osage bow newly finished, It was the midle of the summer, a very hot day and I was sitting in ambush with the bow laying in the sun.

lot's of time to think when waiting for game to make an apperance, what else would you think about but wood propertys ?

Looking at the nice little curves that so easyly I was able to put on this Osage bow, I was thinking how easy this...

need help

feeds@yuku.com (colejack3) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 13:05:02 GMT

hi im probaly about to buy a bow and one of the things it asks is left or right how do i know if im left or right thanks. and also i was going to get #45 but do yall think i should go 50? so i can grow into the bow more im 13. and go hunting with my dad alot.

A Thank You

feeds@yuku.com (toxophileken) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:15:17 GMT

Over two years ago, I wrote this story as a thank you to Thimo and Manny and others here on PaleoPlanet. I had been so sick I couldn't get off the couch to go get medicine (I even missed one of my favorite archery shoots with friends), and when I felt well enough to sit at the computer, I wanted to write something to entertain the folks who were posting and entertaining me (and encouraging me, and providing friendship from a distance).

I've hesitated to post it since,...

Small Yew Tree

feeds@yuku.com (blair) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:54:46 GMT

I've just discovered that the large (10ft by 14ft) conifer "bush" at the bottom of my garden, which my wife hates, is a young Yew tree. There is one big trunk about four inches in diameter and about three foot high, but lots of 2 inch diameter stems, most of which are around three feet. If you allow for taper I might get a five foot branch. I'm thinking I might be able to splice a couple of branches together to maybe make a fully round African style shortbow. Does anyone...

gdje naci TBB u Hrvatskoj?

feeds@yuku.com (Beca) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 04:50:46 GMT

Ako netko zna gdje bih moga naći TBB u Hr bio bi mi od velike pomoći?

need a simple lightweight bow..?>>>

feeds@yuku.com (sandhills tracker) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 03:18:08 GMT

im looking for a bow thats simple short ,appr. 45-50lbs at 25-28in. prefer osage, esp. w/ deer rawhide backing,, w/ limbs that are even,...wrapped handle,,but--NO ARROW REST PLEASE..

string silencer-ok..-no t alot of paint,beads or flashy stuff,, bone/horn nocks-ok-----i know probably asking alot--but i want it not too big,still or flashy...

i have some very tradeable items right now,,but they are going pretty fast on some other trades...-please pm me...

Contact Info for Joe Dabill?

feeds@yuku.com (toxophileken) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:52:17 GMT

Tim Baker was kind enough to give me Joe Dabill's old phone numbers, but unfortunately, they are not current. I would like to get ahold of him. If anybody out there knows how to get ahold of Joe, please let me know via PM.

Thanks!

Ken

ironwood sudbury project

feeds@yuku.com (mohawkwoodman) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:24:58 GMT

need help deciding on a bow

feeds@yuku.com (colejack3) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 18:02:27 GMT

the first bow is a midsized longbow from maddog archery. the secong is a sequoia 68 longbow from cabelas . i want the bow to be #45 and im going to use it for hunting and im really in to the whole trick shooting thing so i want it to be super accurate. it will be used to hunt white tail deer and rabbits.which one is better to buy thanks everyone!

Primitive Crossbow (With Pics)

feeds@yuku.com (Boomer) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:06:45 GMT

Here is a primitive crossbow I started a while back (like 6 months!). I finally have found some time to work on it a bit more.
The stock is made from some Birch I had laying around for a while. It has some pretty funky patterns in the grain.
The prod is Osage Orange and is my third attempt, so far so good. I wrapped a spot in one of the limbs with sinew to reinforce a pair of small knots, then matched it on the other limb for balance. It is attached to the stock with sinew and hide...

Steam/bending question

feeds@yuku.com (Backboard) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:48:59 GMT

Hi all! I'm currently working on my fifth bow, second selfbow. It's a red oak board bow, 76" nock to nock for now, because I usually come out under weight so I have room to lop it to raise weight. Anywho, my first self bow was for my 4yr old and pulls 15lbs at 21" and is around 54"ntn. It has taken a fair amount of set, about 1 1/2", and want to avoid some of it on my long version. If I reflex the outer limbs a bit, should I do it before final tillering, or after?...

Sinew supplier list?

feeds@yuku.com (Johan) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 17:52:03 GMT

Is there a sinew supplier list here? I am on fixed income. Also is there any adavantage/disadvantage to using deer vs elk vs bufalo for backing?

Thanks,

John Runer

Privet as bow wood

feeds@yuku.com (Hummingbird Point) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 16:24:04 GMT

I have no intention of actually trying this, but I have friend that has told me several times that privet is excellent for making bows. So just out of curiosity I was wondering if anyone knew anything about the quality of privet wood for making bows.

Thanks,

Keith