Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Okie on January 25, 2009, 07:47:23 pm

Title: 1st Recurve
Post by: Okie on January 25, 2009, 07:47:23 pm
Well after seeing and admiring Cowboy and twistedlimbs recurves, I just had to try one for myself. This bow started out with 2" of nature reflex and I almost couldn't bring myself to put the curves in...But I did anyway. I also added some deflex at the fades. I cut this stave about 8 months ago. I cut it down to bow size and put it in the heat box about 2 months ago. The rings on it are very thin and I had a whale of a time getting a ring chased. After heating and bending several times to get the curves as close to the same as I could, I was left with some scorch marks that didn't want to come out after sanding, so I used a trick I had heard about but had not tried myself. Oven cleaner. I sprayed the bow with oven cleaner and let it sit for a couple of minutes then wiped it off. I thought to myself, "that didn't do anything". Two days later when I looked at it again... Wow, it had a nice dark color to it. It looked like some of my bows that are 10 years old. Thanks to the guys on here that told me about wiping it down with vinegar to stop the darkening. Also thanks to Islandpiper for the tip about using wood ashes to do what the oven cleaner did ( a lot more primitive). I am really pleased with the way this bow shoots and feels in my hand. It is 62" and 58#@26". The tips are whitetail antler and the string silencers are raccoon. Hope you enjoy.
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh272/jlholman/Recurve/Unbracedrecurve_edited-1.jpg)
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh272/jlholman/Recurve/Bracedrecurve_edited-1.jpg)
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh272/jlholman/Recurve/Recurve003.jpg)
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh272/jlholman/Recurve/Recurve004.jpg)
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh272/jlholman/Recurve/Recurve005.jpg)
(http://i258.photobucket.com/albums/hh272/jlholman/Recurve/Fulldrawrecurve_edited-1.jpg)
Title: Re: !st Recurve
Post by: sailordad on January 25, 2009, 07:57:04 pm
now thats one sweet bow,love them curves, tiller looks great also
Title: Re: !st Recurve
Post by: PeteC on January 25, 2009, 08:13:49 pm
That's a good-lookin' recurve Okie! I like everything you did to it.Looks like a hunter to me. God Bless
Title: Re: !st Recurve
Post by: islandpiper on January 25, 2009, 08:39:48 pm
Now, that's a pretty bow......nice color, nice tiller, nice tips..........now, if you can just get one of those 'product models" to pose with it.  Ya might need to check with the missus on that one.   

Keep up the great bow making.    piper
Title: Re: !st Recurve
Post by: Little John on January 25, 2009, 08:44:27 pm
Very pretty bow and primo workmanship. Bow of the month comp. is heating up.  How about a how to to your style handle wrap.     Kenneth
Title: Re: !st Recurve
Post by: salad days on January 25, 2009, 08:53:13 pm
Nice bow! I have to hand it to you, I would be way too scared to try oven cleaner after all that work. Well done Sir.
Title: Re: !st Recurve
Post by: Okie on January 25, 2009, 09:12:30 pm
Thanks for the comments guys.

OctoberSunrise, It was definitely scary.

Little John, JD Jones from Ada OK. showed me how to do this style handle wrap last year at OJAM and this is the first one I've gotten to turn out ok. I may do a build along on the next one.

John

Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: hawkbow on January 25, 2009, 09:25:08 pm
great looking bow brother.. all she needs now is some elk blood on her ;D great job Hawk a/ho
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: bigcountry on January 25, 2009, 09:30:04 pm
Did you use heat gun or steam to put in those curves? 
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: Okie on January 25, 2009, 09:39:33 pm
Hawk, I'm gonna try really hard this year to do just that. ;)

Bigcountry, I used the heat gun.

John
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: Badbill on January 26, 2009, 12:53:01 am
Thats just beautiful! Nice curves, good tiller. ;)
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: DanaM on January 26, 2009, 06:20:07 am
Came out real sweet Okie :) Well done eh.
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: Cromm on January 26, 2009, 06:32:12 am
WoW great work.
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: Pappy on January 26, 2009, 07:15:49 am
Beautiful bow,looks good in all respects. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: GregB on January 26, 2009, 07:52:41 am
That is one sweet bow! I like everything about her! Great job! ;)
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: El Destructo on January 26, 2009, 08:31:38 am
Really Nice Bow John!! And if you find any Osage around here that isn't tight ringed....you let me know!! All of this Texas Panhandle Osage is really small ringed
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: Okie on January 26, 2009, 09:35:39 am
Thanks everyone. This is the best bow to date that I've made, IMO.

Mike, I do have some thick ringed Osage I've cut around here, but it's few and far between. We usually get around 1/2" more rain per year than you do.lol


John
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive on January 26, 2009, 10:06:07 am
oh yeah! thats a nice looking bow. wasnt so bad was it? great job on it, keep 'em bendin'. - Ryan
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: Barrage on January 26, 2009, 11:18:20 am
Great looking bow Okie.  Those recurves look great!
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: robbsbass on January 26, 2009, 11:32:52 am
Really good looking bow, nice tillering job, those tips are really nice.
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: Okie on January 26, 2009, 11:51:22 am
Ryan, thanks for the encouragement. I will definitely keep bendin 'em now. I'm hooked.

Thanks, Barrage and robbsbass.
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: Ryano on January 26, 2009, 12:03:43 pm
Nice Job John. That came out pretty good for your first try.  ;D
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: Bowbound on January 26, 2009, 12:12:39 pm
Nice recurve, very nice tips. :) :)
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: Mechslasher on January 26, 2009, 01:05:28 pm
looks good!  i might have backed her with silk and some snakeskin with those thin rings.
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: DirtyDan on January 26, 2009, 02:20:51 pm
Super bow!!  I wish I could do recurves that well.  All of mine seem to lift up splinters off the belly.  This is one beautiful weapon.  Great tiller, color, tips, everything.  You should be very proud of it.

Dan
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: OldBow on January 26, 2009, 02:53:48 pm
That is a dandy! It will be quite the candidate for January Self Bow of the Month for sure!
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: Hillbilly on January 26, 2009, 03:47:47 pm
Man, that are puuuuurrrrrrttttttyyy!!!  8)
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: George Tsoukalas on January 26, 2009, 04:10:37 pm
Very nice bow! Congratulations. Jawge
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: dragonman on January 26, 2009, 05:55:33 pm
Yes, congratulations,  beautifull bow, expert work!!
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: cracker on January 26, 2009, 05:55:52 pm
I think we have a winner! ;D 8)Ron
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: Keenan on January 26, 2009, 09:04:42 pm
 Thats a very nice bow Okie. Your curves came out very well especially for your first ones.  Congratulations on a very fine weapon.
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: Gordon on January 26, 2009, 09:39:01 pm
Those curves sure did turn out nice.  I like what you did with the handle and color.
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: Glenn R. on January 26, 2009, 09:56:41 pm
Okie, just got back on the site after a long time of being absent, and looked at your bow. WOW!--- What I've been missing!  Great job sir! I'm difinately envious--that bow looks great.
Title: Re: 1st Recurve
Post by: Jesse on January 26, 2009, 10:51:57 pm
Nice job on that one :). I would have believed it was your 50th.