This yew- stave has accompanied me since 25 years, I made several types of bows out of it and found them all somehow wrong. Finally it took me a lot of trials and errors to get the right design for that stave.
The problem was its weight, I´ve never came across such a heavy piece of yew. Recently I came across Harry Drakes yew- flightbow- design, I was sure that´s it!
The bow measures 45.3" in length, 1/2" at the tips, 1 1/8" at the handle in width, its thickness is about 1/4" at the tips, 1/3" at the handle, physical weight is 25.3oz.
Tillering was made according to Steve Gardners advices.
During the tillering I decided not to sinew back the bow, cause it doesn´t show any set, a really outstanding piece of yew despite its relatively thick growthrings.
I guess that the heavy physical weight indicates the outstanding capablities of the wood.
The arrows are made of laminated and heavily heat- treated douglas fir- strips, so far the hardest arrows I´ve done, spine is carbon- quality. charged with 2lbs at the center, the bent is 1/4" ( the black arrow), the other one bents 1/5". Fletching is still a bit high, I want to have the possibity to shorten them.
As soon as the snow has melted down, I´ll go for the first flights with the bow.
This stave teaches me imaging the bow within a stave is only one half of the job, to be able to see the right design within a stave is the real thing.
Michael
