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Author Topic: Cherokee-inspired long D-bow  (Read 4550 times)

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Offline upstatenybowyer

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Cherokee-inspired long D-bow
« on: April 29, 2017, 07:57:17 pm »
I usually don't cut sugar maple on my property cause we make maple syrup, but when a very large linden fell on two of my favorites I knew it was time to make a few maple bows.

This is the first bow I roughed out with my new bandsaw and man did that ever save time. I used the dimensions for a Cherokee warbow Herrin describes in TBB 2 as a starting point.

70" ntn
65# @ 27"
thin walnut lams glued onto the handle w/ sea grass wrap
rosewood on the tips (thank you again Greenriverwoodcraft)

Aside from not being used to a 65# bow, it became very easy to control after some practice. Quiet as a mouse and hits incredibly hard. I'd hate to be an enemy of a Cherokee warrior aiming one of these bows at my head.
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"Even as the archer loves the arrow that flies, so too he loves the bow that remains constant in his hands."

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Offline upstatenybowyer

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Re: Cherokee-inspired long D-bow
« Reply #1 on: April 29, 2017, 07:57:51 pm »
a few more...
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"Even as the archer loves the arrow that flies, so too he loves the bow that remains constant in his hands."

Nigerian Proverb

Offline DC

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Re: Cherokee-inspired long D-bow
« Reply #2 on: April 29, 2017, 08:15:40 pm »
Nice one. In the second to last picture the belly looks brown, did you heat treat it?
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Offline upstatenybowyer

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Re: Cherokee-inspired long D-bow
« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2017, 08:25:40 pm »
Sorry, yes DC I did. Very light job though. The wood also has some streaks of dark brown from some kind of infection, so not all the brown you see is from the heat.

It was already pulling about 60 before the heat treating and anything above 65 is a little much for me at the moment. I kinda wonder how much more weight it would have gained had I done a heavier job. 
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"Even as the archer loves the arrow that flies, so too he loves the bow that remains constant in his hands."

Nigerian Proverb

Offline selfbow joe

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Re: Cherokee-inspired long D-bow
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2017, 10:41:03 pm »
Nice bow!
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Offline penderbender

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Re: Cherokee-inspired long D-bow
« Reply #5 on: April 30, 2017, 02:46:36 am »
Nice bend on that one jeff! Cheers- Brendan
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Offline chamookman

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Re: Cherokee-inspired long D-bow
« Reply #6 on: April 30, 2017, 03:19:30 am »
Well done Sir  (SH) ! Bob
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"May the Gods give Us the strength to draw the string to the cheek, the arrow to the barb and loose the flying shaft, so long as life may last." Saxon Pope - 1923.

Offline Benedikt

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Re: Cherokee-inspired long D-bow
« Reply #7 on: April 30, 2017, 03:45:17 am »
Really nice bow! I love the look of the rosewood tips :)
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Offline Stick Bender

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Re: Cherokee-inspired long D-bow
« Reply #8 on: April 30, 2017, 05:05:10 am »
 Nice bow I love maple nice to work with bet that bow is pretty snappy
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Offline FilipT

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Re: Cherokee-inspired long D-bow
« Reply #9 on: April 30, 2017, 05:35:31 am »
What other woods are good for this kind of bow? I like the look of these eastern woodland tribes bows.
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Offline bjrogg

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Re: Cherokee-inspired long D-bow
« Reply #10 on: April 30, 2017, 07:19:59 am »
Real nice bend upstate. That pretty crazy how the colors turned out. Almost looks like heart wood and sap wood. Glad you like your bandsaw. I'm sure you'll find all kinds of neat things to do with it.
Bjrogg
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Offline upstatenybowyer

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Re: Cherokee-inspired long D-bow
« Reply #11 on: April 30, 2017, 08:54:02 am »
Thanks a bunch guys. Stalker, I believe the preferred wood of the Cherokee was Black Locust, although Herrin says Oak, Ash, and Hickory were used as well.
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"Even as the archer loves the arrow that flies, so too he loves the bow that remains constant in his hands."

Nigerian Proverb

Offline bradsmith2010

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Re: Cherokee-inspired long D-bow
« Reply #12 on: April 30, 2017, 03:08:32 pm »
very nice )W(
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Offline BowEd

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Re: Cherokee-inspired long D-bow
« Reply #13 on: April 30, 2017, 06:39:20 pm »
Nice work Jeff.Tiller/handle/tips.Bow does'nt look stressed at all.Thought you were going to show a linden bow at first read.I've never tried one of those.
My bandsaw serves me well for roughing out a few bows to acclimate to 50% humidity.Then down the line in time they're ready to tiller.
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Offline Marc St Louis

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Re: Cherokee-inspired long D-bow
« Reply #14 on: April 30, 2017, 07:00:57 pm »
Very nice.  The limbs look a bit thick for a 65# bow
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