Ironwood flatbow (hhb) with natural centershot handle and buffalo grip

[Santanasaur]

This one  draws 45# at 28” and is 72” long. The layout is asymmetric. Bottom limb is about 1.5” wide, shorter and stouter, and the upper about 1.25” wide and slightly longer. The wood is hophornbeam  with a buffalo leather handle, tooled with antler tines and homemade stamps. Tips are cowhorn, and the stain is two colors of leather dye faded into each other. Handle and tips fade to black, limbs are saddle tan and the grooves in the back are colored with black dye. The arrow pass is green lamb suede.

There was a natural snakey kink in the handle that allowed for an s handle without the usual added risk. This one was tricky to tiller with all the character and the ridges on the back. Both limbs took about 3/4” of set. The lower limb holds more reflex—I tried to even it with heat but the natural shape of the stave crept back into the final tiller and I decided to leave it be be. This one’s shaping up to be one of my favorite shooters so far

better pictures here https://imgur.com/gallery/AoA1Vm8

[Santanasaur]

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[Santanasaur]

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[RyanY]

Awesome pics and bow! I’ve often wondered if making a lower limb wider would improve longevity due to the increased stress lower limbs experience in the draw.

[Santanasaur]

Thanks Ryan. The main reason I made the lower limb wider was mostly because it’s slightly more reflexed. So in the end it’s slightly thinner than the top limb. Normally I don’t do this

I have also had the thought that for a shorter lower limb to resonate at the same frequency as the top limb it would have to be slightly wider and thinner. In theory if the limbs have the same spring frequency they’ll have the same timing  (ignoring the string) even though the travel distance might be different (assuming bows are simple springs) I know the string will force both to come home together, but I am still curious what the relationship is between the frequency of each limb and hand shock or vibration. Just thinking out loud

[bjrogg]

Interesting stick. I especially like the fifth and the last pictures.
Well done
Bjrogg

[PaSteve]

Excellent workmanship. Really neat bow.

[willie]

quite nice!

but I am still curious what the relationship is between the frequency of each limb and hand shock or vibration. Just thinking out loud,

wouldn't shock be more about the unequal momentum left in each limb when the string comes back to brace?

[Kidder]

Fantastic bow all round...but certainly no surprise given your track record! Great job!

[Santanasaur]

quite nice!

but I am still curious what the relationship is between the frequency of each limb and hand shock or vibration. Just thinking out loud,

wouldn't shock be more about the unequal momentum left in each limb when the string comes back to brace?

I think you’re right Willie. I’m just wondering if spring frequency has any additional influence

[willie]

you post above mentions resonate, which might imply a natural vibration if plucked or struck like a string or tuning fork? 

As we are trying to get as much work out of the limbs as possible, could you be referring to the return rate or limb timing?

[Lehtis]

Good looking bow!

[Santanasaur]

you post above mentions resonate, which might imply a natural vibration if plucked or struck like a string or tuning fork? 

As we are trying to get as much work out of the limbs as possible, could you be referring to the return rate or limb timing?

I was just talking about minimizing vibration, and maybe slightly reducing shock. I’m curious if there’s anything special about limbs with the same frequency or if nothing different happens.

The reason Im interested in frequency to begin with is that Ive been wondering  about making something similar to Badger’s mass theory model but with frequency as the variable instead. Basically it would be a model that predicts the frequency a bow should have given it’s specs, just like the mass theory table. As you tiller you would approach the correct frequency for the bow, just like you narrow in on the right mass with Badger’s model. The advantage is that this would be unaffected by the mass in the handle. Just a half baked idea

[pumarchery]

Good bow friend! You've a knack for taking pics of em too, like that last pic especially. Which sort of leather dyes did you use for it exactly?

 Kind regards, Michael from the Netherlands( that guy from the bowyer subreddit)

[Santanasaur]

Thanks Michael, the dyes are fiebings leather dye. I did the whole bow in saddle tan, then blended black into the handle, tips, and the crevices on the back. To get the dye in the valleys  but not everywhere else I used a very similar  technique as in this video of wiping shellac over the ridges on the back, as a resist.  https://youtu.be/z7aX9vilxwc