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Author Topic: Gemsbok bow  (Read 6766 times)

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Offline waterhawk

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Gemsbok bow
« on: April 10, 2014, 08:22:28 pm »
Just finished my 24th Gemsbok bow.  7 foot long, 80 lb draw.  White and Black pearls with turquoise nuggets.  Leather is Camel, inset is cobra skin.  African sheep, rabbit fur and Horse hair.  Made by using a hickory wood dowel drill out 5/8 and whittled down to the points. A 440 stainless 5/8 inch threaded dowell through the wood.  Set with gorilla glue, then ground out 1 inch from horn and JG weld steel glue to fill in.  12 coats of clear enamel coats the horn.  Used Nickle silver pewter around the pearls and turquoise, and no, it does not rattle.  It is drilled, not notched for the string, although I usually do both.  Made my first one in the 1970's.  Had only one snap, as I trourqe them out over 120 to see if they will snap.  Need long arrows 34 inch plus, I am not a avid archer, but do like to let fly when times permit.
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Offline NeolithicMan

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Re: Gemsbok bow
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2014, 08:52:14 pm »
welcome! and wow what a first post man! that is a sweet looking bow... and kilt!
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John, 40-65# @ 28" Central New York state. Never enough bows, never enough arrows!

Offline NeolithicMan

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Re: Gemsbok bow
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2014, 08:55:06 pm »
Oh and I am an avid archer sooo if ya need to let one of those beautiful beasts go Ill be here! >:D :laugh:
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John, 40-65# @ 28" Central New York state. Never enough bows, never enough arrows!

Offline criveraville

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Re: Gemsbok bow
« Reply #3 on: April 10, 2014, 09:11:05 pm »
Quote from: NeolithicMan on April 10, 2014, 08:55:06 pm
Oh and I am an avid archer sooo if ya need to let one of those beautiful beasts go Ill be here! >:D :laugh:

Welcome.. What he said.

Cipriano
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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.

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: Gemsbok bow
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2014, 09:22:06 pm »
That is exactly why I want to go to Africa to hunt....so I can harvest a nice cow gemsbok for bow billets!  That, and I hear they are excellent table fare!
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Guns have triggers. Bicycles have wheels. Trees and bows have wooden limbs.

Offline VicNova

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Re: Gemsbok bow
« Reply #5 on: April 10, 2014, 09:24:30 pm »
Wow! Really unique, you're definitely are not the average archer!!!
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Ypsilanti,  Michigan

Offline criveraville

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Re: Gemsbok bow
« Reply #6 on: April 10, 2014, 10:13:32 pm »
Quote from: JW_Halverson on April 10, 2014, 09:22:06 pm
That is exactly why I want to go to Africa to hunt....so I can harvest a nice cow gemsbok for bow billets!  That, and I hear they are excellent table fare!


Yep!! That's too.
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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.

Offline PAHunter

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  • "If your not having fun, what's the point?" - Khan
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Re: Gemsbok bow
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2014, 02:13:51 am »
Holy cow!  That thing is amazing!  How can we talk you into doing a build along on one of those?   ;D
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Thanks,
Rob - Wexford, PA

"Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe". - Abe Lincoln

mikekeswick

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Re: Gemsbok bow
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2014, 03:00:14 am »
Welcome!
You need to learn about the use of sinew  ;)
These bows look great but the limbs are very heavy for the energy stored.
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Offline Peacebow_Coos

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Re: Gemsbok bow
« Reply #9 on: April 11, 2014, 03:40:50 am »
Dang!  What an intro!  Sweet looking bow man
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Offline ohma2

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Re: Gemsbok bow
« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2014, 10:56:52 am »
Regardless whether its a shooter or not it sure is nice to look at.
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JacksonCash

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Re: Gemsbok bow
« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2014, 01:17:57 pm »
Very cool, welcome to the site. I second the build-along!
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Offline waterhawk

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Re: Gemsbok bow
« Reply #12 on: April 11, 2014, 01:38:09 pm »
I used the artificial sinew for show to see the curve of the bow.  It has no use purpose as it stretches and frays.  My clients end up making their own custom strings.  I'm sure most of the Gemsbok bows I make go on the wall for decorations, a few more for people to go the range for the wow factor.  But I have had hunters us them with success, makes me feel good about that.  When I made my first Gemsbok bow, I did not realize that there were actual bows made from the horns.  I just thought it would look cool.  That was the one that snapped...lol.  Learned a a lot since then.  Then when the internet came along I began doing the research, along with going to libraries, about the bows.  The problem with the horns is that many of them are old and brittle and will crack.  When Gorilla glue came along a few years back, I tried it and it bonded to the horns well, but you have to use a rasp to roughen up the inside of the horns for the bond to take.  The only hassle with gorilla glue is that it expands and can be messy, remember to dampen the inside if the horns before using.  But so far it seems to work well.  And with that technique you can use the older and more brittle horns because of the bond.  The JG Weld glue around the inside of the horn between the dowel just gives me piece of mind as I guarantee my bows.  Each bow I make I try something a little different.  Most of my bows are not as fancy as the one in the pic, but I still like to add a little Hollywood for visual affect.  I used to keep my methods a bit secret as this is how I make my living, but I am old now and just want to see the art continue.  If anyone has any questions, I will do my best to answer.
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Offline waterhawk

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Re: Gemsbok bow
« Reply #13 on: April 11, 2014, 01:54:40 pm »
Here's a pic of the center using frog skin.  Works best as it is soft yet gives a good grip.  Ray skin looks great, especially if dyed, but is hard on the hands if you shoot a lot.  I definitely suggest using frog skin.  Plus it looks super cool.
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Offline bodymod669

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Re: Gemsbok bow
« Reply #14 on: July 07, 2014, 05:14:58 pm »
When you say you grind in one inch from the horn what exactly are you grinding, and how? And when you use the steel glue what part are you strengthening or bonding? I have been attempting to build a few and the only thing I have been concerned about is how exactly to bond the horns to the handle. As of now I am strictly limited to hand tools and a cordless drill that I used to aid in cleaning the horns and drilling through the handle. For the steel rod. Also where do you get your horns from I have been limited to eBay and a couple taxidermy sites.
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