ash- backed cherry holmgaard

[AncientArcher76]

Nice bow and the sword is to finish them off!!!

[Del the cat]

Very handsome bow.
Del

[dragonman]

I think that this design  of bow has its roots in prehistoric Europe, and maybe it is harder for you guys in the States to relate to it. I also prefer the the more elegant slender bows. but as a design for the less dense white woods,more common in Northen Europe, it appears to be quite a practcal solution. I also found it a usefull learning how the design clearly seperates the bending portion of the limb from the non-bending tips. It is a bit like a static recurve without the recurve. It is good to know exactly what every square inch of wood is actuay doing within any design. I plan to try one more of these as an ash backed white oak and try and improve it further. I believe the tips could be considerably lighter still.

[Pappy]

Very nice work,it a beauty.
   Pappy

[KenH]

Dragonman - beautiful work.  I recently finished one myself, in Maple backed Black Locust.  That's the design from the Møllegabet archaeological dig, rather than the Hølmgård site.  It has the distinct shoulders that a Hølme doesn't.  Over 7000 year old design, 'way pre-Viking, but one of the most sophisticated designs of bow known until the composite bows of the Chinese 5000 years later.

I think your idea of Ash backed White Oak would be really good.  Get those rigid outer limbs down to 6mm wide.  You can make this design with a narrrower working limb.  The one I just finished has virtually no shoulder down to the handle.  Here's what I mean:
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,19292.0.html

[OldBow]

Good to have dragonman and his fine bows back posting again. Excellent submit for May laminate BOM.

[Dane]

Absolutely lovely work. I do disagree with your comment that North Americans can't relate to prehistoric bows. Anymore, they are the only bow designs that interest me. I recently recieved "The Bow Builder's Book", and am really enjoying it. I've found that unless a bow design really catches my interest, I don't want to bother starting a bow, and it seems only the Mesolithic and Neolithic designs "do it" for me. I just started a replica of the Tybrind Vig bow, and have another Sarnate bow in the works.

Dane

I think that this design  of bow has its roots in prehistoric Europe, and maybe it is harder for you guys in the States to relate to it. I also prefer the the more elegant slender bows. but as a design for the less dense white woods,more common in Northen Europe, it appears to be quite a practcal solution. I also found it a usefull learning how the design clearly seperates the bending portion of the limb from the non-bending tips. It is a bit like a static recurve without the recurve. It is good to know exactly what every square inch of wood is actuay doing within any design. I plan to try one more of these as an ash backed white oak and try and improve it further. I believe the tips could be considerably lighter still.

[dragonman]

sorry Dane if that comment came across wrong, there where a few guys posting earlier saying,it wasn't their favourite design, and I agree,it isn't mine either . It was more of an experiment. I just through in that comment as a possibility! In the same way, over here we dont have access to the native American bow traditions in the same way as you do, and there are very few people in England,( that I have heard of anyway) making these type of short native designs.We are all exposed to different influences, that is really what I meant.
Thanks for that info KenH, I dont know much about the actual archeological evidence, I will use these dimensins for my next bow of this style

Davd

[Dane]

Oh, no appology necessary. Even though there is a great tradition of Native American archery in North America, many of us, if not most, are of European ancestry. Bows like the one you build are the bows of my own ancestors. As interesting as Native American bows are, I can't relate to them in the same way, say, and Englishman can related to the ELB. Most of my family tree springs from Northern Europe, so maybe that is why bows from stone age Europe touch me deeply.

Dane

[dragonman]

 You are right Dane. That is actually my first proper holmeguard ( or, mollegabit as KenH kindly informed me) I've made and I was suprised how it did 'touch' some ancient ancestral connection, that I didn't even realise was there. It is good to connect to the ancestors, and good to know that connection is still there. This island was once one massive oak forest full of tribes and wild animals. Thats a good thng to remember I'd say!!!

[Cooper]

A fine bow and a very adequate realization of this venerable design.

[acker]

   great bow, you made a good job on it

[Kolton]

very nice bow,i lke the sword


     Kolton

[hammertime]

I do like the design and as is with most things in bow building you never know to you try.beautiful work,Hammertime

[medicinewheel]

Great bow, nice dagger!