Ash-backed Compression Spruce / 64" 44# @ 28"

[BoltBows]

Ha that's very cool and interesting! Well done!

[simk]

Something interesting about this bow and a happy new year everybody!

I left this bow in the cool barn than where - due to rainy weather- also moisture must have been quite high. When looking at it yesterday I realized it was reflexed about 2" - this was in fact more reflex than I originally glued in to start with. After some tillering and shooting the reflex was maybe 1/2" to 1". After I took it in the warm and dry house some of the reflex dissappeared again over night but it still is about as much as I glued in originally (pic). To me it looks like the legend of compression wood seems to prove. Very intersting!

Side remark: I also stated that many of my heat treated bows gained a lot of reflex since I shot them in an put them in the corner for a while. They - over time - really spring back to almost max reflex they were originally induced right after heat treating!!! Another very interesting thing  To me it looks like the heat treating really prevents permanent compression damage almost to a 100%

cheers

[willie]

To me it looks like the heat treating really prevents permanent compression damage almost to a 100%
cheers

Thanks for reporting. 


In correspondence with some finnish bowyers a few years back, I learned overdrying was detrimental to keeping the belly intact, at least with the compression "spruce" being utilized there. examples of trees harvested for compressionwood in this account
 http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,68162.0.html
show trees with lesser curvature than some examples used in the finnish bows

indigenous bowyers in Alaska reported having to keep their bows outside, lashed to trees in winter, to keep them from drying in the Arctic air too much. I believe the bows were tillered to be used in the warmer summer months in highly humid coastal areas and for use at sea in the sea otter harvest.