Narrowed handle D bow

[Dazv]

Hi all!!!

I've made just over 30 bows now and a lot of them have been D bows. What I have seen a few times but have never made is a bendy handle bow where the handle section is narrower than the limbs. This is something I would like to try with an elm stave I've got but my question is how would you go about marking it out. I would like the limbs to be 11/2 inches wide and the handle section to be around 11/4 inches wide, the whole bow being 60inches long. So how long would you make the handle section and would you do normal fade outs like on a flat bow?

Thanks for all the help
Darren

[Dazv]

I hope my question makes sense.

[Newindian]

And inch and a quarter is a little wide for a handle. You want the handle to be long enough to fit your hand it really doesn't matter  Not sure what you mean fades like a American flat bow

[osage outlaw]

I've made a couple of bows like that, both were short and sinew backed.  I narrowed the handle on the last one to 3/4" wide and thick.  The handle faded into the limbs.  It just started to bend at full draw.

[Dazv]

Thanks for your reply, the bow I'm making is a bend in the handle bow. I'm just not sure on how to layout a bend in the handle bow where the handle section is narrower the the limbs.

[Dazv]

Thanks osage outlaw, 11/4 inches wide feels really good in my hand do you think it would work if I lay the bow out as if I was making a flat bow but instead of the handle being an inch wide make it 11/4 wide? Do you think I could get away with that? 11/2 inches wide just feels a little to wide for my liking.

[osage outlaw]

I would rough it out the same width as your limbs and leave it a little thicker.  Then keep taking some off the width and thickness until you get it bending like you want it.  If you only want it 1/4" narrower than the limbs it won't have to be much thicker at all.  If it were me, I would make the handle closer to 1".  I like a narrow handle.

[osage outlaw]

Here is the last one I built

[Dazv]

Great thanks very much. Do you think elm will hold up to being that narrow? That handle looks sweet by the way.

[osage outlaw]

I don't know.  That's osage and its sinew backed.

[Dazv]

I think I will take your advice and make the handle full width and slowly work it down. Thanks for all of of time it's much appreciated!

Darren

[George Tsoukalas]

I've made quite a few bend in the handle bows that have narrowed handles. The bow bends through the handle and fades. Mine usually are 1.25 inch wide and 1 inch thick for a whitewood.
You have to experiment to see what works for you because if you make it too narrowand not thick enough it will break there.
Jawge

[Dazv]

Great thanks for the advice guys.