Handles on a stave bow

[Dkincaid]

I have a stave of Osage that I've started working and noticed that it's not going to be thick enough to make a handle. I know I could make a bend thru the handle bow but I don't prefer that style. Can I glue on a some wood and make a handle similar to what I would do with a board bow? My instincts say yes but just wanted to check. My other option is to make an ELB which I have no experience with but they look neat.

[Dictionary]

If the wood at the handle bends and you glue a riser block of wood on, it will pop off. Your best bet is to build a bendy handle bow and just build it up with leather, cork, or something similar to fit your hand

[bubby]

Yes you can, if the riser area is thicker than the limbs no problems,  if not glue a series of lams of varying lengths, this came up recently do a search for eric krewson and go threw his posts and you will find some examples that will work

[bubby]

https://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,59252.msg822274.html#msg822274

Here you go

[Dkincaid]

Sweet thank you

[Dictionary]

The laminate idea makes sense, but if u just put a block of wood on the handle and it bends, it will be a headache to keep it from coming off

[wizardgoat]

Just how thick is your handle, and how long is your bow? What draw weight you aiming for?

[Dkincaid]

Staves around an inch thick at the handle and 72"  long aiming for a 68-70" bow around 50@29.

[Dkincaid]

Sorry I missed the earlier post addressing this issue

[wizardgoat]

A 68" Osage bow should not bend in the handle if you leave it an inch thick.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, I don't usually make bows that long.

[DC]

Just remember that a stave that is "around an inch thick" has to be flattened for a gluing surface. I've been amazed at how much you have to take off to get a good glue face. I haven't had a lot of success gluing on handles but they were earlier in my "career". Use a good epoxy and don't clamp too tight is all I can say.

[Dances with squirrels]

If it's an inch thick at the handle, I would add another piece of osage about 3/4" thick, and that would be enough to make the kind of handle I prefer. I have done this by perfectly flattening both gluing surfaces, run a toothing plane blade over them to groove their surfaces, glue and clamp them together with Smooth On epoxy, cured with a shop light next to it for warmth, and then treat it as a single solid piece from then on. This is a good, strong joint, but additionally, a long gradually sloping dip/fadeout will help to slow the bend before the handle. Many of those that fail aren't glued this way and the fades ramp up too rapidly.

This is no different, and actually LESS in danger of coming loose than the handle pieces that are glued onto bamboo backed bows, and trilams, and such, which are 1/2" or less before the handle piece is added. I prep them the same way... with no semblance of a 'pedestal' or power lam, and I never have issue with them either. It works... even when it bends some into that glue joint.

[Dkincaid]

Part of me wants to get a nice bamboo slat and turn this stave into a bamboo backed reflex deflex bow. I've never done one but a friend did and it turned out very nice.

[bubby]

Wizardgoat is right, what kind of handle are u wanting if you just want to fill your hand and shape cork is a great material for this, also leather glued on and when sanded looks great

[bubby]

Here is a cork buildup