Carp backed osage

[Timo]

I dug out this little piece of reaction wood a while back. Thing about this kinda wood is if you can ever get it wrangled into something that will mind it’s manners, then you got yourself a humdinger. I worked on getting the string track to stay on this bow for better part of a week. I’d correct it and the next day it would be right back. Finally yielded somewhat? Then I tried to take some reflex out of the bottom limb to match the top and it just wouldn’t stay. Kept pulling back up. So I left it.
Skinny little Osage stick, 63”, 53# @ 27”.Limbs are 1 1/8” wide to mid limb, then tapering to 5 /16” tips, of cape buff , with gill plate accents. The handle is tennis wrap, with some b-50 accents. (not real sure as to how well  I like it yet).The backing is Grass carp just two weeks removed from Truman Lake. Not much wood to work with, but I did manage to cut some shallow fades, and have some thickness in the palm. Not sure if it would be considered a D bow, or a slight ALB? Bends ever so slight in the hand. It is what it is. Earned the name “Headstrong”














I should've softened the outer third of the top limb a bit.....But this thing beat me up perty bad,so this time I yeilded.

[Timo]

Here is a close up of the finished skins...Pics never do justice to the beauty and pattern of these skins.I love um.

[mullet]

   Timo, the tiller looks pretty good to me. I bet it slings an arrow pretty quick. I wish we had Grass Carp down here, I like the looks of the skins.

[ballista]

 awesome! i love the skins, that tiller looks great too. Got a question: can you explain how you prepaired the skins? theres a crapload of asian carp by my house, i got a short osage i was gonna back with burlap but thats intreeged me to try carp for a backing -jimmy

[FlintWalker]

That little booger should really spit one out there!  I like it!
  That just goes to prove. It don't take much osage to make a bow

[brownhillboy]

Nice bow and I like those narrow little tips too!

[Olschool]

WOW! I like that one a lot Timo, those nocks are beautiful

[OldBow]

To look at this weapon, one would think that this person knows how to make a bow. Check out the excellent tip work everyone. Great candidate for April Self Bow of the Month.

[Pennhawk]

Man I love that carp skin, good looking bow.

[Blacktail]

thats some nice work...the carp looks great..i love the handle.john

[Timo]

Mullet, I worked that top limb more than I figured it could take before I finally gave up. Thanks for seeing it better than me.

Ballista, I had a couple threads in the How to section about carp skins,thanks

Saw Filer, I shot a lot of Tonkin from it......I gotta put some rabbit fur tracers on my arras, cause I was having trouble tracking them.I really didn't think there was enough wood to get that kind of weight either. thanks

Brownbilly, the narrow tips came by defalut. Thanks

Old School, Thanks

Old Bow, I considered that a nice compliment coming from one that has looked at probly more bows than anyone here? Thanks.

Pennhawk, Thanks.

Blacktail, that is the first time I added string wraps to a handle. It's still growing on me. Thanks.

[ricktrojanowski]

Beautiful bow.  The tiller looks great to me.  All of the details from the skins, to the tips to the handle make that one great bow.

[Keenan]

Excellent Timo, Good for you for sticking with it and taming the wild wood. Great combo of colors and matching the handle wrap as well. The skin markings with the wood colors are fantastic. i would have never have thought of gill plates as an accent on tips. Way to think out of the box. Congratulations an such a fine bow.   Keenan

[Pat B]

My kind of bow Tim. I can see you and me got a lot in common. I really don't take much osage....!

[The Burnt Hill Archer]

great job Timo! i am really starting to love bend through the handle bows, pure and simple. i like it.

Phil