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Author Topic: My old locust bow...RIP  (Read 14306 times)

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Offline Pat B

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My old locust bow...RIP
« on: May 10, 2021, 09:00:27 pm »
I built this locust bow in 2003. It was my best locust build. Note the cut in shelf. I haven't done that in years. One of the tip overlays popped off years ago and I never fixed it or shot it again. Recently, as I was going through my bow collection I saw this one and wondered about sinew backing it. It is 55 1/2" t/t, is just over 2" at it's widest and draws 47#@24". The belly had developed some very fine frets at mid limb on both limbs but not bad. I thought about adding recurves to the end of the limbs but decided to just leave them straight. I will repair the tip overlay then I think I will sinew back it.
Here are a few pics...




« Last Edit: July 31, 2021, 05:26:44 pm by Pat B »
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Digital Caveman

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Re: My old locust bow
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2021, 10:31:51 pm »
I can tell it is 18 years old because the Osage tip looks like walnut. 

Nice lines.
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Offline Fox

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Re: My old locust bow
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2021, 12:47:20 am »
mmmm that is so pretty
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Offline Deerhunter21

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Re: My old locust bow
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2021, 11:53:29 am »
The chocolate color of old Osage... you gotta love it!
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Offline RyanY

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Re: My old locust bow
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2021, 11:57:01 am »
Surprising it got frets being so wide. Beautiful shape.
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Offline Hawkdancer

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Re: My old locust bow
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2021, 02:06:57 pm »
Nice!  New tip and sinew, she'll be as good as vintage wine!
Hawkdancer
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Offline bradsmith2010

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Re: My old locust bow
« Reply #6 on: May 11, 2021, 02:38:02 pm »
yep,, nice project,, :)
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Offline bassman211

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Re: My old locust bow
« Reply #7 on: May 11, 2021, 03:21:58 pm »
I can't if you trapped the back or not. It is a good practice with Black locust. The one's that I have made successfully all have trapped backs.
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Offline Pat B

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Re: My old locust bow
« Reply #8 on: May 11, 2021, 04:12:54 pm »
Thanks guys. I'm sorta excited about getting this old bow back in working order.
 Ryan, frets are typical for me and locust. Like I said this one was one of my best locust bows.
Bassman, no trapping on this one. The limbs are so thin and it was probably before I knew what trapping was anyway.  ;)
 Old locust puts on a nice patina like osage and mulberry.
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline bradsmith2010

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Re: My old locust bow
« Reply #9 on: May 11, 2021, 04:37:55 pm »
Pat, I have one from 1994,, it has few frets that I did when I was in a hurry tillering,, lucky they have not gotten worse, and the bow still shoots just like it did,, its a beautiful great shooting wood, excited to see yours come back to life,,
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Offline Pat B

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Re: My old locust bow
« Reply #10 on: May 13, 2021, 12:13:35 pm »
I removed the handle wrap and scraped and sanded off the old finish today.


...as you can see the belly developed a concavity over the years. I use the goose neck scraper for areas like this. I observed that the limb with the frets had the most concavity to it. Whether there is a connection I don't know.


Then I used heat to remove the remaining tip overlay. I'm not sure what glue I used but once it was heated up the overlay lifted right off. I'm thinking I used gel super glue.


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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Pat B

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Re: My old locust bow
« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2021, 12:16:39 pm »
After scraping and sanding the whole bow I clamped one limb to a reflex form and laid the heat to it. I'll check it a little later and work on the other limb.



More to come...
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Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline Bob Barnes

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Re: My old locust bow
« Reply #12 on: May 13, 2021, 12:49:01 pm »
thanks for sharing...it's one of my favorite woods too.   :OK
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Offline Aaron H

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Re: My old locust bow
« Reply #13 on: May 13, 2021, 12:53:22 pm »
Neat
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Offline Will B

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Re: My old locust bow
« Reply #14 on: May 13, 2021, 01:00:45 pm »
Look forward to seeing how the sinew backing goes. Love seeing these older selfbows!  Good luck
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