Eastern woodland bows.

[Papa Matt]

I understand Whitewoodshunter. I can't ever post pics either, as much as I'd like to. The only time I can get on here is when I'm here a the labor. Can't be uploading pics and stuff on company equipment. And I don't have a computer at home since I'm quite poor. Just gotta keep hopin' for a better way some day...

~~Papa Matt

[YewArcher]

Hillbilly, Yes. That is just so. I was just taken a good humored jab at all the fellas who like Osage.

Steve

[welch2]

Matt have you tried uploading pictures from your local library ?

Ralph

[Papa Matt]

I have used that library before, but I've since boycotted it. I once checked out a video, and forgot to return it on the due date. When they sent me a reminder, and I returned it, they said I owed $25. I asked what for, and they said as a LATE FEE. I said are you  *******   crazy, the video itself, if it were brand new, wouldn't be worth $25 even if I had kept it forever!!! So I told them to stick it *********  and have never went back. And I never paid the $25 and I never will. I could see $5 or MAYBE even $10, but $25??? Who do they think they are, the government?!! So I never go there anymore.

[NTProf]

I am still interested in what constitutes an "Eastern Woodland bow." Even though as someone said earlier in this post there is much diversity among such bows, is there something distinctive about the design, shape, etc. that would permit me to say, "I made an Eastern Woodland bow." I am asking this only because I am interested in making one (or knowing if perhaps I already have!). THanks.

[snedeker]

NtProf, I think most mean a flat bellied bow that bends through the handle.  Length varied greatly from 50s to 70s inches.  there will be little or no narrowing of width in the grip area.  No rigid handle.  Whitewoods or black locust mostly. cThe pic above by Orcbow is representative.  there was clearly variability in styles among these cultures.  The famous Sudbury bow from CT of the 1600s has a narrowed tapering width mid-section.  At its most simplistic, if you make a bow that is in that length range, 1 3/8" or so wide, same width for whole bow (except the usual tip taper), bends through the handle, you can say its an eastern woodland bow. Just about the simplist bow you can make and very effective.  The old adage was that these bows were great up to about 55# but started to run into hand shock troubles with more power/

Dave

[Papa Matt]

Brothers, if there's no narrowing, or very little, in the hanlde area, then aren't they uncomfortable to shoot, having to wrap your hand around an inch or so wide handle?

~~Matt

[YewArcher]

NT, Saying I made an Eastern Woodland bow is almost like saying "I made an ancient european bow". Again, they are the most varyed of all NA bows and cultures because they are all lumped into that catagory. Its just to generic of a term.

Steve

[Hillbilly]

NTProf, the "typical" EWB is like Snedeker said- longish, narrow, rectangular, little width taper, usually diamond nocks. The book Encyclopedia of Bows, Arrows, and Quivers of the Native Americans, vol. 1 by Jim Hamm and Steve Allely has many, many examples. There are a few wild cards like the Sudbury-type bows, and a few variations like mild recurves or deflex/reflex profiles, but 90% of the historical examples fit into the style just mentioned.

[whitewoodshunter]

[NTProf]

Thanks for your help, everyone!

[George Tsoukalas]

YewArcher is correct. "Eastern Woodland Bow" really does include a lot of bow designs from the long but narrow in width flatbow to the sinew backed recurve to the rigid handle Sudbury bow. But typically its the long flatbow, bend in the handle design that people have in mind when discussing Eastern Woodland bows. Jawge

[Papa Matt]

Let me see if got this right--- the handle area is no thinner than the mid limbs, or very slightly? So there would be a limit to draw weight of these bows, because you can only make them an inch or so wide, since that would be all the wider your handle area could be and still be comfortable in your hand, correct? Of course you can make the wood slightly thicker or slightly thinner to increase draw weight, but that only goes so far. Is it not possible to have a bow in this style with a very high draw weight, then? 

[JackCrafty]

Very high draw weights are possible with the Eastern woodland style bows....as are very low weights.  IMO, the style of these bows is not dependant on width, depth or length dimensions.  The style can be defined as "Rectangular cross section D-bows with wide tips" in the majority of cases.

[richpierce]

Thicker makes stronger in a hurry.  The eastern woodlands bow is a universal design, not that different from many bows from early Europe, Asia, South America, etc.  It is easy to make and hard to break because it is often overbuilt.