Revisiting "Just What is a Self Bow, Anyhow?

[OldBow]

yankeemongiat - "So Don....are we going to start considering all Bows that are backed with Sinew and Rawhide and Fabric ....as Backed Bows??? I believe that they should be....since they are not a true Selfbow....what is everyone Else's thoughts on this???

OldBow- I have always considered that the Traditional Bowyer's Bible I described how one makes a self bow. In it is described various non-wood backings such as sinew or rawhide. So, I'm sticking with the Bible. A self bow can be backed but not laminated.

yankeemongiat- Buckwheat says.....OOOTAY!!!!  

[sailordad]

I'm still a newbie so i don't know if my opinion on this is just.
but i feel as long as it is one piece of wood for the length of the bow excluding tip overlays and riser blocks or natural backings such as sinew or rawhide that its a self bow.

                                                    PEACE,
                                                            Tim

[George Tsoukalas]

A selfbow is one piece of wood or 2 spliced at the handle. A backed bow is a backed bow. It cannot be a selfbow because it consists of more than one material. I don't have a problem with however the contest is set up but a selfbow is a selfbow. Jawge

[cowboy]

Don: I like your system - if it's hard backed it's laminated, if it's some stretchy natural material it's a selfbow, albeit backed. Hmm, now I'm second guessing myself. Anyway, you gotta draw the line somewhere - is it laminated or not??

[Coo-wah-chobee]

A selfbow is one piece of wood or 2 spliced at the handle. A backed bow is a backed bow. It cannot be a selfbow because it consists of more than one material. I don't have a problem with however the contest is set up but a selfbow is a selfbow. Jawge

                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Like Jawge said...........bob

[kayakfisher]

if it went that way then putting a snake skin on for decoration would be considered backed bow

[El Destructo]

A selfbow is one piece of wood or 2 spliced at the handle. A backed bow is a backed bow. It cannot be a selfbow because it consists of more than one material. I don't have a problem with however the contest is set up but a selfbow is a selfbow. Jawge

Thats what I was getting at Jawge.....but I will play by the Rules set......even though my Wife says that I dont play well with others!!!

And Kayakfisher....a Snake Skin does nothing for the Back of a Bow...Rawhide and Sinew do...so Hence no Backing....just Decoration...

[david w.]

Any bow that you made yourself

[mullet]

  Don, Personally I believe a self bow should be a bow with no protective backing. Whether it be wood,glass , rawhide, sinew or silk,etc. Anything that makes up for the poor quality of the  wood or craftsmanship of the bow. When you start bending curves in wooden bows without breaking or lifting splinters, I think this shows real skill. When you have to back it to do it, well...., that's a whole different story.

[Jesse]

  Don, Personally I believe a self bow should be a bow with no protective backing. Whether it be wood,glass , rawhide, sinew or silk,etc. Anything that makes up for the poor quality of the  wood or craftsmanship of the bow. When you start bending curves in wooden bows without breaking or lifting splinters, I think this shows real skill. When you have to back it to do it, well...., that's a whole different story.

Well I somewhat agree but there are some designs that you can not make without a backing like those short highly recurved sinew backed bows. Its not a lack of skill its necessary for the design. but I do agree that if its working to hold the bow together like sinew or rawhide it is backed.  Jesse 

[Jesse]

Maybe there should be a category for a natural materials bow in which all parts are not man made you could use any backing you want as long as its natural materials applied with glue made from natural materials like hide or fish glue. I think it should include non working parts, tip overlays, and finishes also.  Just a thought.    Jesse

[mullet]

  I have to disagree, Jesse. RyanO, Marc St. Louis, Keenan to name a few, have made some really short recurved bows without any backing. And if it's necessary for the design, It means it wouldn't hold up without backing it.

[cowboy]

Probably stretching it a bit,  but maybe three categories. One laminated, one self, and one composiite - backed with  only pure natural parts like - sinew, hide or bark? Personally, I like it the way it is - simple..

[Hillbilly]

My personal definition of a selfbow would be a bow backed with nothing except air, except I would consider a bow of otherwise one piece of wood with a decorative non-functioning backing like snakeskin to be a selfbow. For the purposes of our contest, though, I see no reason to fix what ain't broke. It's already a lot of work for Don. At some point you can get so technical that it's just too much trouble to deal with. I think it works fine to have sinew, rawhide, or other non-wood backed bows in with the selfbows, and a seperate category for the wood and other hard laminated bows.

[bowmo]

I like it the way it is...stave based or board based(with wood to wood glue joints) Seems like yall are jus knit pickin to me...

dan