Author Topic: Serviceberry Longbow  (Read 9270 times)

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Offline Zion

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Serviceberry Longbow
« on: March 29, 2013, 01:05:09 pm »
So a little less than a month ago a harvested a small sapling. I peeled the bark off and let it dry in a corner for bout 3 weeks and recently i decided to make a bow out of it. It was a very clean, dense piece of serviceberry without much character. I heat treated the bow once which seemed to do the job of keeping set at bay.

I also have been working a deer hide. I cut some strips off of it that i'm keeping as rawhide and i'm gonna tan the main hide. One of the strips i used for the grip. It's a crude handle but hey i like the simple ones the best. I like these simple, but very usable designs much better than the ones i spend more time finishing.

This is also my first "not quite bend in the handle but close to it" bow. The handle area is very slightly narrowed on the shooting side, and the belly is oval. I can't wait to make more of these bows in the future, and with much heavier weights, too.

62" TtT
My INNACURATE scale said 88# at 25," so i ESTIMATE that the weight is SOMEWHERE AROUND 80# at 25." But don't believe anything i say about that lol  ;D
The secret of life is learning to make your own luck.

Offline Zion

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Re: Serviceberry Longbow
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2013, 01:07:17 pm »
Drawn and braced:
The secret of life is learning to make your own luck.

Offline Carson (CMB)

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Re: Serviceberry Longbow
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2013, 01:20:56 pm »
Looks like a shooter.  You sure can turn them out Zion! 
"The bow is the old first lyre,
the mono chord, the initial rune of fine art
The humanities grew out from archery as a flower from a seed
No sooner did the soft, sweet note of the bow-string charm the ear of genius than music was born, and from music came poetry and painting and..." Maurice Thompso

Offline Joec123able

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Re: Serviceberry Longbow
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2013, 01:33:04 pm »
Beautiful bow and beautiful scenery in the back ground wish I had such a beautiful place to shoot !
I like osage

Offline bow101

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Re: Serviceberry Longbow
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2013, 02:21:07 pm »
Another Zion signature bow. ;).!    How do you prevent the wood from checking at such a short drying time..?  You are heat treating with a hot air blower.?
"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are."  Joseph Campbell

Offline Zion

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Re: Serviceberry Longbow
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2013, 02:49:05 pm »
Thanks guys, this one was really fun to make.

Yeah i guess i take WA scenery for granted lol.

Well as long as you don't rough out serviceberry it won't check unless it's SUPER hot (like during the summer, 100-110 degree weather.) If you rough it out the belly will check near where your handle will be (unless you seal it) but the back never checks.

No, i heat treat with either my wood stove or over one of the burners on the stove in my house. Is a hot air blower supposed to be better?
The secret of life is learning to make your own luck.

Offline chamookman

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Re: Serviceberry Longbow
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2013, 03:15:41 pm »
Really enjoy Your Bows Zion - nicely done Young Man ! Bob
"May the Gods give Us the strength to draw the string to the cheek, the arrow to the barb and loose the flying shaft, so long as life may last." Saxon Pope - 1923.

Offline raghorns

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Re: Serviceberry Longbow
« Reply #7 on: March 29, 2013, 04:48:53 pm »

Zion,

Very nice again...I heard recently that there is serviceberry in Missouri...anyone know for sure? Thanks for sharing your talent.

Lyle
Live Life at Full Draw

Offline dmenzies1950

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Re: Serviceberry Longbow
« Reply #8 on: March 29, 2013, 05:18:46 pm »
Zion, It sure looks like springtime in Tonasket! My wife and I are going to to be heading over that way next week! Looks like we'll be seeing some sun!

Nice bow Zion! You know how I love your bows! Don't you just love working those funky, curvy serviceberry staves? Keep turning them out boy! We love your work!        Dale 
"His bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One, the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel." Genesis 49:24

Offline Onebowonder

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Re: Serviceberry Longbow
« Reply #9 on: March 29, 2013, 06:23:42 pm »

Zion,

Very nice again...I heard recently that there is serviceberry in Missouri...anyone know for sure? Thanks for sharing your talent.

Lyle

Yes, Missouri does have Serviceberry growing here.

OneBow

Offline Zion

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Re: Serviceberry Longbow
« Reply #10 on: March 29, 2013, 06:49:03 pm »
Thanks for the kind word guys!

Lol it's more like summer!!  :o I just spent 2-3 hours shooting this one and i'm thinking it might be my new #1 bow instead of my apple longbow. I shoot just as good with this design as any other which is pretty cool!
The secret of life is learning to make your own luck.

Offline bow101

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Re: Serviceberry Longbow
« Reply #11 on: March 29, 2013, 07:14:21 pm »

Well as long as you don't rough out serviceberry it won't check unless it's SUPER hot (like during the summer, 100-110 degree weather.) If you rough it out the belly will check near where your handle will be (unless you seal it) but the back never checks.

No, i heat treat with either my wood stove or over one of the burners on the stove in my house. Is a hot air blower supposed to be better?

Thanks Zee, I guess I'll debark some of my cuttings..! Speed up the process... ::)
"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are."  Joseph Campbell

Offline Badly Bent

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Re: Serviceberry Longbow
« Reply #12 on: March 29, 2013, 07:22:35 pm »
Zion you crazy young fool, everybody knows you can't make a bow from the tree to the string in three weeks. :D :D :D
Just kidding! Whatever your doing is working cause thats another nice bow there. Real nice bend and the braced and unbraced
profiles look great also. Keep em' coming you insane bow building machine. >:D




I ain't broke but I'm badly bent.

Offline Peacebow_Coos

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Re: Serviceberry Longbow
« Reply #13 on: March 29, 2013, 09:11:37 pm »
Nice work sirs, you are a talented craftsman.  I dig the simple thing

Offline VicNova

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Re: Serviceberry Longbow
« Reply #14 on: March 30, 2013, 12:07:11 am »
Another great bow. good job Zion!
Ypsilanti,  Michigan