Info on Cherokee bows

[Dano]

YEP!! Your wife is right, but I'm just funnin. I take back all I said, I didn't know you was from the good side of Kansas City My Grandmother (God rest her soul) born and raised in Kansas, Always wanted a MO. address, so when Grandad retired they moved to The city, The MO. side

[Hillbilly]

If you don't have any Black Locust, they also employed Osage, so an Osage Cherokee bow would be historically sound.
   Sean 

 
 
The relocated Western Cherokee used (and still use) osage, but not traditionally, because osage didn't grow within a thousand miles of here in the Cherokee's original homeland. I guess locust is probably the best wood growing here, so that's what they used when they could get it. They  started using osage after most of the tribe was forced by the government to move to Oklahoma in the early-mid 1800's and of course soon started making bows from it when they settled in its natural range. Historical accounts mention hickory and ash also being used when there was no locust to be had.
 

[Pat B]

...and so would hickory!     Pat

[Skeaterbait]

That works out pretty well, I have osage but I have more hickory so last night I started doing a practice run with some hickory. Turns out my hickory ain't as dry as I thought it might be but I got the basic shape and can work on the thickness. Hmmmm, could this be a good excuse to build a hot box?

Sure is nice to be back in a shop so I can make bows again.

Thanks for all your help everyone.

[Sidewinder]

Heres a good link to a hotbox like the one I made. You can have it done in less than an hr and a half if you;ve got the materials gathered up.  Hope it helps. I like the looks of that rectangular bend in the handle style.   Danny 

http://www.geocities.com/salampsio/hotbox.htm

[Traxx]

Good thread.
Not exactly shure why,but this style bow,is the most pleasin to my eye,fer some reason.Now,i know a lot of folks make this style bow,but how many,actually preferr them,to the handled style bows?Am i alone on this one?

[1/2primitive]

If you don't have any Black Locust, they also employed Osage, so an Osage Cherokee bow would be historically sound.
   Sean 

 
 
The relocated Western Cherokee used (and still use) osage, but not traditionally, because osage didn't grow within a thousand miles of here in the Cherokee's original homeland. I guess locust is probably the best wood growing here, so that's what they used when they could get it. They  started using osage after most of the tribe was forced by the government to move to Oklahoma in the early-mid 1800's and of course soon started making bows from it when they settled in its natural range. Historical accounts mention hickory and ash also being used when there was no locust to be had.
 

lol, I should have thought of that....
      Sean

[El Destructo]

Good thread.
Not exactly shure why,but this style bow,is the most pleasin to my eye,fer some reason.Now,i know a lot of folks make this style bow,but how many,actually preferr them,to the handled style bows?Am i alone on this one?

         None of my Bows has a Handle to speak of....none are more than 1 1/4 inch thick in the Handle area.....most are right at an inch

[nclonghunter]

Just because Osage did not grow in NC, that doesn't mean they didn't trade for it.

I just finished a 56" nock to nock hickory Cherokee bow. It also bends all the way through the handle. Have not put it on a scale but I am guessing it is 45-50# at 28". Tried a 2 ply sausage casing gut string, but it broke shortly after it got it to brace height.  It was 15 year old casing so I am not surprised. Working on a sinew and dogbane string for it now. It has the diamond nocks and is rectangle in design. I did not detect any hand shock when shooting it.

[Lone500]

them bows just sexy lookin to me

[wood_bandit 99]

They used more hickory then BL, I have heard, but when they had been moved out by white men they found osage and made it out of them.

[n2huntn]

nclonghunter... very nice sir. love it

[Traxx]

They used more hickory then BL, I have heard,

I believe,you were misinformed on this.

People,should head Hillbillys words on this subject.The man knows of which he speaks.

[Sidewinder]

man you got that stick bendin purty. Good one.
 As far as what the Cherokee made em out of I would not have blamed em if they switched from Hickory to osage. Hickorys good wood but I'll take osage as an all weather bow wood any day. Not near as touchy moisture wise. The couple hickorys I made out here got sluggish when it was damp out. Even with 3 coats of spar urathane still could'nt stop the moisture.
 Thats a dandy of a bow no matter what and  like I said, you sure got it bending nice. Danny

[nclonghunter]

Thanks for the positive comments. It's funny but I have made 6-7 useable self bows and want to build more. It is an addiction for sure.