Here is the finished product from my “Winter Project” build-a-long:
]http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,30667.0.html]It took longer to build this bow than usual because I didn’t have much experience with sinew backing and documenting each step was rather time consuming. That said, I’m satisfied with how both the bow and the build-a-long turned out.
This design was inspired from a bow that was made by Steve Alley. That bow is shorter and wider and has a painted back, but is otherwise similar. Unfortunately the owner drew the bow well beyond its limit and broke it. His misfortune, however, was my good fortune as I was able to deconstruct the bow to examine in detail how it was constructed. I must say that in spite of being broken, the bow was masterfully crafted.
This is a sinew backed yew recurve. Nock to nock length is 57”and draw weight is presently 58# @ 27”. The draw weight increased 3 pounds from when I tillered the bow to completion. I expect the bow will gain a few more pounds yet before the sinew completely stabilizes given the high humidity during construction. The limbs are 1 5/8” wide at the fades tapering evenly to ¾” at the tips. The bow holds 3” of reflex at rest. Total mass is 20.5 ounces.
The wood is high-elevation yew harvested from the North Oregon Cascades. The bow is backed with 2 ½ courses of sinew and covered with diamond back rattle snake skins. The skins were purchased through Pine Hollow Longbows. The tips are wrapped with sinew and painted black. The handle is tanned deer hide stained with mahogany leather dye and finished with a John Strunk style lace pattern and leather varnish. The limbs are finished with nine coats of Tru-Oil.
Here are some pictures. You can click on a picture to get a larger view. I hope you enjoy them.
And here is a picture of the 5 x 6 bull that I took with this bow in the NE mountains of Oregon.
