Author Topic: Cork bow grips  (Read 3993 times)

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Offline Prarie Bowyer

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Cork bow grips
« on: July 07, 2014, 01:18:39 am »
Saw this on one of ravens beak bows.  How do you do that?

Offline Weylin

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Re: Cork bow grips
« Reply #1 on: July 07, 2014, 01:28:57 am »
Carson (CMB) would be another good person to ask. He's done several of them to nice effect.

Offline bubby

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Re: Cork bow grips
« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2014, 01:54:36 am »
I cut and glue the pcs together, then on the bow, then ruff shape with a razor and then a 4 in 1 rasp
failure is an option, everyone fails, it's how you handle it that matters.
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Offline huisme

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Re: Cork bow grips
« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2014, 04:02:55 am »
I cut and glue the pcs together, then on the bow, then ruff shape with a razor and then a 4 in 1 rasp

Same here, then use the tape trick to cut the leather to fit my oddball carving ;)
50#@26"
Black locust. Black locust everywhere.
Mollegabets all day long.
Might as well make them short, save some wood to keep warm.

Offline Sidmand

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Re: Cork bow grips
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2014, 09:23:36 am »
Same here.   get the cork sheets from office supply stores used to make cork boards, then just glue pieces to your handle/riser are to build it out, and shape with a 4-in-1 rasp once the glue is dry.  works very well and is fairly easy to do, and it is very easy to get the shape you want.
"Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing." --> Aristotle

Offline Prarie Bowyer

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Re: Cork bow grips
« Reply #5 on: July 07, 2014, 01:16:35 pm »
No no, I mean the cork is the finished handle. 

Offline huisme

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  • I'm Marc, but not that Marc.
Re: Cork bow grips
« Reply #6 on: July 07, 2014, 03:13:01 pm »
Well, it seems you would do everything except the wrap, then. Any pics?
50#@26"
Black locust. Black locust everywhere.
Mollegabets all day long.
Might as well make them short, save some wood to keep warm.

Offline Fred Arnold

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  • From up on Munson Creek
Re: Cork bow grips
« Reply #7 on: July 07, 2014, 03:53:01 pm »
I have an old yew longbow with the cork wrap. It is very comfortable in the hand and has held up exceptionally well. It must have been sealed after being applied. Does anyone know what might have been used as a sealer?
I found many years ago that it is much easier and more rewarding working with those that don't know anything than those that know it all.

Offline Carson (CMB)

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Re: Cork bow grips
« Reply #8 on: July 07, 2014, 03:57:17 pm »
I use 5/16" thick cork of high quality.  I taper one edge of a rectangular blank in preparation for a skive joint.  I cut the blank to the desired width (handle 4" long = cork wrap 4" wide).  I leave the length plenty long.  I soak the cork in hot water with some hide glue granules added for good effect (very thin hide glue, i.e. still water thin). For those that need measurements...a tablespoon for a quart of water.   After a good 30-40 min of soaking I apply it to the handle section using wood glue.  Star with the skived edge down and wrap the remainder around.  Leave plenty of overlap over the skive edge and trim the excess; leaving a blunt edge is ok.  Then wrap itghtly with ace bandage and allow to dry thoroughly.  Initial shaping with a razor knife works well.  Then when roughed out shape is achieved, I apply shellac or wood glue.  Sand once dry.  Repeat with less coarse sand paper.  80 down to 220 works for me.  Use the dust from each sanding to slurry with shellac or wood glue to fill the voids.  It makes the most comfortable handle.  It takes some time due to drying time of glue between sanding...that is one reason I prefer the shellac. 

That is just how I do it.  I sell the cork wraps on the website: echo archery
"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 Carson (CMB)

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Re: Cork bow grips
« Reply #9 on: July 07, 2014, 03:59:13 pm »
Apply your finish as normal over the sealed cork.  One good reason to use shellac is that most any finish will adhere nicely.  I am not sure the same is true with the wood glue.  If using wood glue, top-coating with shellac would likely allow most any finish to applied over it.
"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 Prarie Bowyer

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Re: Cork bow grips
« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2014, 04:30:26 pm »
lOVE SHELAC.