This bow has been in the works for several months now, and I’ve just recently gotten around to finishing it.
It’s my first bow that I’ve made all on my own, but I did check in with the forum several times and got some really useful feedback from members here. Thanks Ya’ll!
It started as a ~1.5” diameter knot-filled Pacific Yew Sapling, and I’ve turned it into a shooter.
I reckon I cut some of the branches a little too short, because as the stave dried, it developed a few rather large checks on and around some of the branch stubs.
I was able to carve them down a bit, but had to fill two of the larger checks with epoxy. For added strength, I wrapped the knots in question with whitetail sinew that I harvested, and green wool thread, just for looks.
I was worried that these knots might cause a problem, but I’ve put at least 100 arrows through the bow so far, and it’s shooting and holding up great!
I cut up an old pair of cowboy boots and stacked the leather to build up the handle before I wrapped it. Tip overlays are water buffalo horn, and arrow rest is an unknown type of horn.
It’s 69 3/4” Tip to Tip, and draws ~50# @ 29”
Links to earlier in the project:
https://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,64680.0.htmlhttps://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,65210.msg917360.html#msg917360
