Author Topic: Egyptian Composite Bow  (Read 18272 times)

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Offline ecounter

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Egyptian Composite Bow
« on: August 20, 2021, 01:53:51 pm »
Tried an Egyptian composite bow and wanted to share as much as I could if it helps anyone else.  Used this: <http://margo.student.utwente.nl/sagi/artikel/ancient_composites/>  as my guide.  Used Osage slats for all the wood and my handle is a little more Assyrian than the sharp Egyptian look but since that's where Egypt supposedly got the technology it feels better in the hand.  Pulls #70 at around 26 inches which is way past my comfort zone.  Will try to give all the info in the picture dumps as I'm not great at replying in the message boards but will try if I can help.  I've built a dozen or so self bows and a hybrid Mongolian style but this is my first attempt at something this complex.  The Sinew is made up of one layer of 3 gram 10 inch sinew bundles all around(little less on the sides as it tapers) with an additional layer on the back. I'll try to post start to finish over the course of next few days as I get the files to size.

Offline ecounter

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Egyptian Composite Bow
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2021, 05:52:36 pm »
Osage bending and layers of horn glued on the the tapered core.

Offline ecounter

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Egyptian Composite Bow
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2021, 06:04:31 pm »
shape and tiller adjustments made

Offline ecounter

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Re: Egyptian Composite Bow
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2021, 06:09:32 pm »
Slight hiccup with the side pieces as I was going to do a different harder wood as described in the link above but that was a bust so bent more Osage which wasn't exact but a little more heat after the picture got them pretty close as to not create twist once everything was glued up.  Like the photo says should have bent a single wider piece of Osage and then cut into the corresponding sized strips, that is if you are going to use same wood.

Offline ecounter

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Re: Egyptian Composite Bow
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2021, 06:17:30 pm »
After rounding the back and tapering the sides a little got it to #30 at 20 inches which was my working goal prior to putting the second thicker layer of horn over entire width and length of the belly essentially covering up the sides slats on the belly.

Offline ecounter

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Re: Egyptian Composite Bow
« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2021, 06:23:53 pm »
More shaping of the whole bow prior to adding sinew.  The second piece of horn on the belly really turned up the poundage and I kept shaving it down until the bow was drawing about #50 at 20 inches.

Offline ecounter

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Re: Egyptian Composite Bow
« Reply #6 on: August 20, 2021, 06:27:12 pm »
More pictures with measurements.

Offline ecounter

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Re: Egyptian Composite Bow
« Reply #7 on: August 20, 2021, 06:31:33 pm »
No idea how the original tips were done and couldn't dig up anything on the web so decide to take this route.

Offline ecounter

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Re: Egyptian Composite Bow
« Reply #8 on: August 20, 2021, 06:39:07 pm »
Sinew time.  covered the whole back and sides with one layer of 3 gram bundles and then a second layer on just the back again with 3 gram bundles.  being that the bundles naturally taper the sides were not as big a deal as I though it would be.

Offline ecounter

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Re: Egyptian Composite Bow
« Reply #9 on: August 20, 2021, 06:45:01 pm »
Final touch ups and test before birch bark.  I think the recurves were just a bit too much so I used a little heat at 150 degrees to take some of the recurve out at the tips out and adjust some very slight twist.

Offline BowEd

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Re: Egyptian Composite Bow
« Reply #10 on: August 20, 2021, 09:06:16 pm »
I admire your work/investigation and attention to detail in all aspects.Great looking bow.Good pictures and explaining of the process also.I've always admired the shape of an Assyrian/Egyption bow.Many ways to get that shape.Splicing in the handle section etc. as I've thought about it seriously myself.
I'd think the bow should mass weigh quite a bit for it's length.I also imagine the horn used was gemsbok because of it's length but possibly water buffalo horn too.
I did a tutorial on flattening gemsbok horn for horn bows [build-a-long thread] some time ago while making horn bows.In that I stated the amount of poundage gained using horn by it's thickness.
Did you get a full draw picture of the bow and did you make some like type arrows of the era?
« Last Edit: August 20, 2021, 09:29:33 pm by BowEd »
BowEd
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Ed

Offline Morgan

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Re: Egyptian Composite Bow
« Reply #11 on: August 20, 2021, 09:58:58 pm »
 (A). Wow. A lot went in to that. Well done.

Offline ecounter

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Re: Egyptian Composite Bow
« Reply #12 on: August 21, 2021, 01:04:56 am »
Horn was water Buffalo I had to splice the inner core pieces in three but had two lengths for the final belly.  I’ll get a full length draw picture soon once I work bow in and as far as arrows I haven’t made any of my own yet but if anybody has any info on appropriate arrow style would love the info.

bownarra

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Re: Egyptian Composite Bow
« Reply #13 on: August 21, 2021, 02:44:58 am »
Very interesting.
what is the weight of the bow?

Offline BowEd

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Re: Egyptian Composite Bow
« Reply #14 on: August 21, 2021, 02:57:08 am »
They kinda described them in your referral site from your investigation and were a good 30" inches long or more all with foreshafts.
Also surprisingly not all that much sinew was put on your bow,but you did a superb job.
« Last Edit: August 21, 2021, 03:12:26 am by BowEd »
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed