Author Topic: Breaking a hackberry longbow to show tension strength...  (Read 6783 times)

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Offline toomanyknots

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Breaking a hackberry longbow to show tension strength...
« on: March 16, 2012, 07:15:15 pm »
I screwed up putting the horn nocks on this one, so I got frustrated and took it out on the innocent bow! I thought I could demonstrate how much bend hackberry will take before breaking instead of just pitching it the wood pile... ;D  Here's the link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd2Yg0qI9RA&feature=youtu.be Also to note I guess, is how whippy / non-bending the middle of my bow is. Looked good on the tree, probably wasn't working at all though.





EDIT: I would of tried on the tiller tree, but mine only goes to 32" right now and I have never got a hackberry longbow to break that way for me.
« Last Edit: March 16, 2012, 08:48:36 pm by toomanyknots »
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline Weylin

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Re: Breaking a hackberry longbow to show tension strength...
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2012, 07:22:07 pm »
That looks like a good way to earn a trip to the ER.  :o

Offline Dauntless

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Re: Breaking a hackberry longbow to show tension strength...
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2012, 07:55:34 pm »
You popped some serious splinters there...

Looks like hackberry is quite tension strong. How heavy was that bow before you sacrificed it?
The starving grad student with too many hobbies.

Offline RyanY

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Re: Breaking a hackberry longbow to show tension strength...
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2012, 07:58:59 pm »
Didn't it break in tension before compression? I'm impressed by how much it bent before breaking. The bend is really even so I'm sure it had a nice even tiller. I agree that it looks severely whip tillered.

Offline Dauntless

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Re: Breaking a hackberry longbow to show tension strength...
« Reply #4 on: March 16, 2012, 08:11:38 pm »
It took a lot of set before breaking, I'm sure there are some pretty serious chrysals on that short bend.
The starving grad student with too many hobbies.

Offline oldhippy

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Re: Breaking a hackberry longbow to show tension strength...
« Reply #5 on: March 16, 2012, 08:30:00 pm »
   Dude, you are one sick puppy >:D
I'm only a figment of my own imagination (:::.)

Offline Badger

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Re: Breaking a hackberry longbow to show tension strength...
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2012, 08:35:53 pm »
  Hackberry is the most bendable of all american woods. If you steam hackberry you can do some unbelievable things with it.

Offline coaster500

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Re: Breaking a hackberry longbow to show tension strength...
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2012, 08:36:27 pm »
Knots you almost added another one knot that is :) ....  that's some tough stuff...  it really is a great bow wood  :)
Inspiration, information and instruction by the ton and it's free,,, such a deal :)

Offline DarkSoul

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Re: Breaking a hackberry longbow to show tension strength...
« Reply #8 on: March 16, 2012, 08:38:53 pm »
Are you sure the wood is dry? The way it bends is amazing. I've only seen that with green wood, actually.
"Sonuit contento nervus ab arcu."
Ovid, Metamorphoses VI-286

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Breaking a hackberry longbow to show tension strength...
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2012, 08:40:12 pm »
You popped some serious splinters there...

Looks like hackberry is quite tension strong. How heavy was that bow before you sacrificed it?

About 65# maybe @ 28".

It took a lot of set before breaking, I'm sure there are some pretty serious chrysals on that short bend.

Actually, there isn't any at all. But it did take alot of set, hackberry ain't the best always in that department especially without even hotboxing it or nothing... Also to note, the back had big gashes across the back, where I got pissed and beat the thing with a rasp.
For some reason it didn't break across one of those though.

That looks like a good way to earn a trip to the ER.  :o

 ;D ;D ;D

   Dude, you are one sick puppy >:D

 ;D
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Breaking a hackberry longbow to show tension strength...
« Reply #10 on: March 16, 2012, 08:41:21 pm »
Are you sure the wood is dry? The way it bends is amazing. I've only seen that with green wood, actually.

Been seasoning one year as a stave, maybe 4 or 5 months of that was in ready to floor tiller form.

I've only seen that with green wood, actually.

I agree. Sometime's it will take a little bit more set than other woods, like green wood would too, but if ya hotbox it, it does better. I throw the stuff in my van when it gets up to around 95 - 100 here all day, and the next day I will tiller. You can tell  the wood is cooking because you can smell it. Pearl Drums says that heat treating it works good also.
« Last Edit: March 16, 2012, 08:47:47 pm by toomanyknots »
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline okie64

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Re: Breaking a hackberry longbow to show tension strength...
« Reply #11 on: March 16, 2012, 11:47:16 pm »
Cool pics and test there. Beatin on the back of the bow with your rasp though, Kinda sounds like you might have some anger management issues  :)

Offline toomanyknots

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Re: Breaking a hackberry longbow to show tension strength...
« Reply #12 on: March 16, 2012, 11:56:58 pm »
Cool pics and test there. Beatin on the back of the bow with your rasp though, Kinda sounds like you might have some anger management issues  :)

LOL I'm just an idiot. I guess I am proof that cave men made bows.  ;)
"The way of heaven is like the bending of a bow-
 the upper part is pressed down,
 the lower part is raised up,
 the part that has too much is reduced,
 the part that has too little is increased."

- Tao Te Ching, 77, A new translation by Victor H. Mair

Offline soy

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Re: Breaking a hackberry longbow to show tension strength...
« Reply #13 on: March 17, 2012, 12:10:18 am »
You can tie it in a knot you can tie it in a bow you can brake over your shoulder .... ;D boy that must suck getting mad at a bow ::) i incorporate FIRE into my anger management  >:D
Is this bow making a sickness? or the cure...

Offline criveraville

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Re: Breaking a hackberry longbow to show tension strength...
« Reply #14 on: March 17, 2012, 02:11:47 am »
 :laugh: ;) ;D :)

Cipriano
I was HECHO EN MEXICO, but assembled in Texas and I'm Texican as the day is long...  Psalm 127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.