Horn bow newb

[Jakesnyder]

If I use a wood core do I taper it in thickness? Does the horn get tapered? I think I red somewhere that I should tiller out the wood core part way then add the horns to it. Is this correct?

[Stick Bender]

Yes for your type if you go & look at Eds hickory horn bow builds he exsplains it in detail it would answer your questions , every bow is different as stated above , you would do your self a favor reading his builds or Adams book !

[BowEd]

Jakesnyder....I can relate to your fascination to composite bows.The bows I posted made out of hickory have longer working limbs than your actual turkish horn bows.A lightweight type war bow so to speak and I use them for durable hunting bows.They perform very well storing energy with immense amount of early draw weight and are fun to make and shoot.You would learn a lot about all phases of working and making horn bows.
The turkish horn bows core is not tapered as much.They have shorter working areas on their limbs.I used ironwood as a core on one of those.Good cores[stay away from pins and knots/irregular grain] are required of course as well as the other components also because of extreme profiles on all these bows.You will find that out along your journey making them.Adams' book is a gem of information.
If you have trouble acquiring horn PM me as I have sources.

[Stick Bender]

The only downside I can see with these bows is the immense time investment for a guy like me with only a couple hours here & there they really take a commitment , but the composite long bows or the native composites are doable with limited time !

[Jakesnyder]

Did the native Americans use a wood core or just horn and sinew?

[Jakesnyder]

How much heat can horn take? When do you know if horn has had too much heat?

[Stick Bender]

I can only speake to dry heat , I know some use boiling water or I have seen oil used to, I'm assuming your talking for straitening the horn when horn gets thinner it bends fairly easy with minimal amounts of heat, In the pics when straitening I used a laser thermometer and never broke 110 F but used less where needed for very short periods of time it bends easy and little heat is needed I also at times wrapped the horn strips in a electric blanket before heating and bending one of the techniques in Adams book , to much heat and you can ruin the horn compretion qualitys !

[Stick Bender]

Horn

[Jakesnyder]

Would it be better to double up my gemsbok lams to make around 1/4" thick lams or add a hickory core to my 1/8" lams?

[BowEd]

1/8" thick horn can give you a 50 60 pound bow with enough sinew of 1/8" finished thickness or more and a wood core of 1/4" thick midlimb.1/8" finished thickness horn midlimb is enough to do well in compression work on that.With a starting width of 1 and 3/8" wide at the fades starting width.
I think bubby on here made a very nice looking NA style bow something like your talking about.

[Jakesnyder]

Is hide glue strong enough to hold gemsbok horns together if I doubled them up. I'm thinking to get them completely smooth and flat they will be a little under 1/8"thick.

[Jakesnyder]

This is what I'm talking about

[BowEd]

I've never done that before and would be very leary about trying it too.Butt joints are reccommended but to me only in the non working portions of the bow.The handle or tips.That can depend on how extreme of reflex you would put the bow in too.Still I would'nt reccommend to try that.
Hide glue is a strong enough glue but if the butt joint fails it won't make any difference whether the rest stays together.You've sinewed bows before hav'nt you?and or tillered bows from extreme reflex?

[Jakesnyder]

Yes I have sinewed 2 osage shortbows.

[Aaron H]

That could potentially work Jake, but I would probably take the safer route and just make a shorter bow using the horn you have.  2-3mm (.080 -.120") is a little thin but could still produce a decent weight bow if you keep your core wood a little thicker, say maybe 4-5mm, and get a good 4mm thick layer of sinew on it. If you kept your length under 130cm, then you would be fine.
Also keep the core and horn as wide as possible through the bending areas.