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Author Topic: Horn bow question.  (Read 12990 times)

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Offline Mafort

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Horn bow question.
« on: February 08, 2019, 10:02:24 pm »
I saw the sheep horn bows in a few older books I was reading and was wondering if you could use gemsbok horns in the same fashion. Mainly what I mean by that is without a wooden core. Grove, butt splice them and then handle it with another piece of horn and then just sinew the back of it. Could this be done?
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Offline JNystrom

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Re: Horn bow question.
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2019, 02:56:52 am »
Sure you can use other horns for that application as they are solid and enough thick & wide. That kind of bow could be made from water buffalo horn also. Its just that the originals were made from sheep horns, that's why it is a preferred.
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Offline wizardgoat

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Re: Horn bow question.
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2019, 08:30:03 pm »
A big difference between the 2 is the horn thickness.  Bighorn sheep have incredibly thick horns. Not sure if gemsbok have the same thickness. I feel like I’ve seen someone post a gemsbok no wood core bow here some years ago.
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Offline Jakesnyder

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Re: Horn bow question.
« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2019, 11:09:34 am »
Yes I've seen it done with just gemsbok horn but I'm not sure how he acquired thick enough horns. I have bought some gemsbok horns a while back and they only average 1/8th inch thick once they were worked down. Which is not thick enough for horn and sinew only bows. I've heard doll sheep horns work and can be a couple hundred dollars cheaper than big horn sheep horn but dont have enough experience with it to confirm.
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Offline loefflerchuck

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Re: Horn bow question.
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2019, 08:57:09 pm »
Dall sheep has the thickness but more twist than bighorn. More of the length of the horn has to be cut out to get a straight limb.
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Offline Mafort

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Re: Horn bow question.
« Reply #5 on: February 20, 2019, 05:49:29 am »
Turns out what I thought were gemsbok horn was actually water buffalo. My buddy gave them to me processed and I was unable to tell the difference. Each horn is like 23.5” long. You guys think this would make a bow that goes with a 28” draw? I really need only 26” draw but I figure if it had 3 layers of deer sinew on the back it should be ok
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Offline EdwardS

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Re: Horn bow question.
« Reply #6 on: February 21, 2019, 03:42:34 pm »
My 48" horn bow can pull 36".  You should be fine.
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Offline wizardgoat

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Re: Horn bow question.
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2019, 09:23:09 pm »
How thick is the horn?
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Offline Mafort

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Re: Horn bow question.
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2019, 09:16:24 am »
Bases are about 3/4 of an inch thick
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Offline Mafort

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Re: Horn bow question.
« Reply #9 on: March 11, 2019, 09:18:57 am »
I lied about that measurement. I’ll have to look it back up and see. I have a buddy sending them to me so I don’t know how long it’ll be before I get the buffalo horn in. My grandpa out in Colorado sent me about 10 leg tendons from an elk and he did a good job carving them from the animal.

Quote from: EdwardS on February 21, 2019, 03:42:34 pm
My 48" horn bow can pull 36".  You should be fine.

This bow if everything pans out correctly should be around that length but it’ll be made of water buffalo horn. Should that be ok? Also as far as glue I don’t have the means to make hide glue like I’d like or sinew glue. I’ve read knox gelatin is a good substitute for it. Do I need to heat the glue like you would with hide glue or can I use some hot water and then sinew back as normal?
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Offline gorazd

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Re: Horn bow question.
« Reply #10 on: March 12, 2019, 03:25:59 am »
I would not use gelatin for horn wood joint...  but for sinew layer it can be used ...

Books with Masters of hornbows recommend ONLY fish/sinew (mix) glue for horn-wood glue joint and PROPER  sizing (both parts) with thin solution of fish/sinew glue, at least (!!!) 20 layers of thin hot glue.
GENTLY  Heat both parts (wood, horn) with heat gun before each sizing and wait to dry each layer !!!
 Whole procedure of sizing took me couple of hours.
Then add additional fish/sinew/hide glue parts into melting pot and make THICK solution.

Then just one very thick layer of HOT fish/sinew/hide glue (I mixed all because run out of home made cat fish glue) and quickly press together and do fixing with rope-tencik or clamps.
After fixing GENTLY heat up all with heat gun and let dry one day ...
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Offline Mafort

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Re: Horn bow question.
« Reply #11 on: March 12, 2019, 09:51:46 am »
This bow will be built like the sheep horn bows. No wood core. The horn is 23.6” long.
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Offline DC

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Re: Horn bow question.
« Reply #12 on: March 12, 2019, 09:57:22 am »
By "gently" what do you mean? I'm thinking the idea is to remelt the glue so is that like warm to the touch or hot to the touch? Can you give me a better idea? Especially after wrapping it in rope it's going to take a bit of heat to get to the glue joint.
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Offline Mafort

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Re: Horn bow question.
« Reply #13 on: March 12, 2019, 10:15:21 am »
I should add that the over all length will be about 48” give or take. I have two horns of the same length. A very rare find and one I’m thankful for.
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Offline Mafort

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Re: Horn bow question.
« Reply #14 on: March 12, 2019, 10:15:59 am »
I just do not want to mess this bow up. Hopefully with any luck I’ll be using it in Colorado.
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