New hornbow

[bownarra]

Handshock (in a well tillered bow) is related to the length of the bending limbs (and other stuff!) so here with only about 10 inches of working limb handshock is nonexistent. The stiff kasans and tips function is basically to concentrate the bend nearer the handle (higher energy storage) and make the most of the horn/sinew.
Yes you are dead right they have to be next to perfect before ever bending them. Most of this is achieived before sinewing, perfect taper rates and matched to 0.1mm limb to limb. Adding sinew unevenly is the cause of most twist and issues with hornbows if you get the core/horn right.
And yes I've made a few now Probably around 25 or so but I haven't been counting haha.

[bownarra]

Got this bow strung for the first time. There was a minor amount of twist. Heated it and untwisted no problem but unfortunately the kasan eyes on this particular bow were are thinner than normal to open fully during the draw. However I'd forgotten that and have opened one too much.....at brace it was bending too far due to the lack of reflex there....ooops. Anyway I heated it again last night, increased the reflex there, so hopefully now it will retain the reflex until around 20 inches of draw.
Nocks have been sinew wrapped and leather inserts glued on.
Pictures to come.

[Nasr]

The bow is not whip tillered enough sorry to say.

[Nasr]

Your an artist I don’t think I can ever make a bow like these with how much time and attention to detail you guys put in these bows.

[bownarra]

haha
Hey they aren't that difficult, it's really just a case of learning to follow the steps.

[Parnell]

Hey Bownarra, any shot at seeing a full draw of that red and black bow you did some time back?  I don’t know that I ever saw one and was curious.  I had read your post about putting together a book and was wondering if, for a first time builder, that type of design is a better entry point than a Turkish.

Do you have thoughts on this?

[bownarra]

Yes sure i'll try and get a photo for you today. I've been meaning to plot some force/draw curves as well.
Yes I would recommend that design as a 'first go' hornbow. They shoot really well and don't suffer too much from instability. They are also fairly easy to put together and only need short sections of  prefect wood.

[bownarra]

Here is that picture.......finally!

[Parnell]

Wow, interesting!  Different profile than I had expect!
Thank you for posting that picture.

[Gimlis Ghost]

Sycamore trees come in several forms. We had an ancient giant of a sycamore tree at the lower corner of our backyard when I was a youngster. It must have grown for centuries and been in the process of dying for decades.
When it finally gave up the ghost the tree rotted fairly quickly. The bare trunk was at least ten-twelve feet across, hard to estimate at this late date, and the core was soft punk. I widened a hole in one side and dug out a Keebler Elf style house inside it with windows peering out where lower limbs had broken away. It was big enough inside that three or more of us kids could sit there comfortably on seats cut out of the soft core wood.

[Greg Hertel]

Looks good!  Did you weigh the sinew for each limb? If so how much total did you put on?

[WhistlingBadger]

 

Hey they aren't that difficult, it's really just a case of learning to follow the steps.

So exacting though, such precision required, so many ways to mess them up. I've always wondered how in the world the Tukudeka (Sheepeaters) made horn bows under primitive conditions.  Ancient people were amazing.

[bownarra]

Looks good!  Did you weigh the sinew for each limb? If so how much total did you put on?

From memory I think it was about 35 - 40 grammes per limb.

[bownarra]

Hey they aren't that difficult, it's really just a case of learning to follow the steps.

So exacting though, such precision required, so many ways to mess them up. I've always wondered how in the world the Tukudeka (Sheepeaters) made horn bows under primitive conditions.  Ancient people were amazing.

The sheep eater bows don't have a wooden core. That makes the task a whole load easier The bows I make would have required specific tools and a fairly advanced ability to work metal.

[Parnell]

Very interesting, bownarra.  Looking forward to watching how this progresses.