Barrel Stave Bows in Archery: Historical replication Forum

Traditional Bowyer's Bible Books By Jim Hamm

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Barrel Stave Bows

Author	Comment
DraggingCanoe	Barrel Stave Bows	Lead	[-]
Posts: 130 Aug 16 11 5:49 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : bow, indian, stave, barrel, plains, horse bow We all know that Plains Indians prized steel barrel bands for their potential to yield many easily made arrowheads. But did they ever use the oak staves to make bows with? The curve that is already present would have lent itself to, or may even explain, the appearance of reflexed horse bows on the Great Plains. Just a though I had today.
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Orien M		#1	[-]
Posts: 4632 Aug 20 11 9:06 AM Administrator Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Interesting thought... Traditionally, barrel staves were cut quartersawn (with the radial, ray-fleck surface on the wide side of the boards)...boards cut this way shrink less, so the resulting barrel would tend to be more stable and leak-proof. Bows made from tree trunks are usually cut the other way (flatsawn, with the rings roughly parallel to the bow's belly). So if an old bow were made of quartersawn oak, a barrel stave could at least be a possibility as a source of wood....unfortunately I haven't looked at any old Plains bows up close, so I have no idea if anyone actually did so. My handmade knives and tools on Etsy... http://www.etsy.com/shop/OldSchoolTools
DraggingCanoe		#2	[-]
Posts: 130 Aug 20 11 7:59 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I see your point. Even if they didn't use them, or it didn't work, someone had to have tried it. It was too abundant a source of wood, and they were too practical a group of cultures for somebody not to have thought of it. I think I'll try to get my hands on one or two staves to see how it works. Might make nice thread.
Rode		#3	[-]
Posts: 67 Aug 22 11 5:01 PM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I read a while back that the plains indians did on occasion use the white oak barrel staves for bows. I think I read this in Doug Wallentine's book on native american bows.
DraggingCanoe		#4	[-]
Posts: 130 Aug 24 11 6:47 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Thanks for that Rode, I'll have to look that up.

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Traditional Bowyer's Bible Books By Jim Hamm

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