Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Ryano on April 08, 2009, 02:16:08 pm

Title: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Ryano on April 08, 2009, 02:16:08 pm
Well, here it is all finished up. This bow is pretty neat. The top limb is snaky Vine maple from Gordon with a black walnut tip overlay. The matching lower limb blew into about three pieces on me after it had already been shot a bunch, the tiller was perfect, I think it was just to dry since I had done heat corrections on that limb several times during tillering. That coupled with the knots on the back, anyways...The new lower limb is made of Wild Apple I had cut on my mothers property. The original top limb to that bow blew after having several arrows put through it also. This time it was my fault as cut to deeply into the handle for a arrow shelf and violated the splice that held the billets together. Lesson learned there. Anyways, as you could imagine I was pretty upset about the vine maple bow because it was really pretty and a nice shooter, not to mention the only piece of Vine maple I ever laid my hands on.  I don't know what exactly made me think of the lower limb of that apple bow, for some reason I had saved it in the closet in the computer room. Well I got it out and started looking at it and got to thinking.....You know this is almost the same length, draw weight, and handle shape/size as the VM bow was......I thought about splicing the to together to make one good bow but I wasn't sure how to go about it since the handle areas where so narrow and one had already been Z spliced and the other one W spliced...I got to wondering if I could cut the through the handle the other way, you know belly to back since it would give me more gluing surface...? So, I figured ah why not? What did I have to lose? Right. Well, hear is what she turned out like. I added a raw hide grip wrap to ensure the strength of the splice, and some Rat snake trimmings I had laying around from Greg's bow. She is 64" ntn and pulls 55#@27"  It also has a ambidextrous shelf. Well enough rambling what do you all think?

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Ryano on April 08, 2009, 02:18:12 pm
More pictures, yes thats snow in April !  :P

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: knightd on April 08, 2009, 02:20:28 pm
Cool bow and a great idea..
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: DanaM on April 08, 2009, 02:26:48 pm
One of a kind bow Ryan and a great save, but are you sure the tiller was perfect on the VM and not just ok ;) :D
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Ryano on April 08, 2009, 02:28:29 pm
Thanks David.
Dana, sure I'm sure.... :P  ::)  ;)
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Barrage on April 08, 2009, 03:12:41 pm
Nice job Ryan and neat idea.
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Josh on April 08, 2009, 03:31:50 pm
wow that turned out real nice.  I remember reading somewhere on here where you were thinking about doing the splice.  Glad to see the finished product came out so well.  You should be real proud of that one.   :)
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Pennhawk on April 08, 2009, 03:42:45 pm
Good job Ryan, Nice grip. Thats some thick rawhide  where did you get it? From a dog chew bone. (Frankenbow lives)
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Keenan on April 08, 2009, 04:05:44 pm
  Great save Ryan. I like the mindset of not giving up on a bow or limb or in this case two "half" bows.  Did you notice much difference in the shooting response of the limbs being different type wood?
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: TRACY on April 08, 2009, 04:16:06 pm
Nice recovery! I like that fact that you spliced it the way you did since it's not the norm. I'll be giving it a try.

Tracy
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Jesse on April 08, 2009, 04:36:11 pm
Cool. got a picture of a full draw by chance ;D
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: The Burnt Hill Archer on April 08, 2009, 04:42:12 pm
Good job, i really like the look of that. Man you guys got HAMMERED out there didnt you! we only got a dusting out of that storm.

Phil
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Okie on April 08, 2009, 04:53:07 pm
Great job Ryan. How's the timing on the limbs? Got much hand shock? Just wondering as I have never worked with either apple or VM.
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: whitewoodshunter on April 08, 2009, 04:57:58 pm
Pretty bow and good save! Are you going to bring that bow  to the shoot next month? We had about 3.5 inches of snow this morning but its all gone now.( Thank God) ;)
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: PeteC on April 08, 2009, 05:22:12 pm
Great salvage job Ryan!! I like it!! Looks great! God Bless
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Gordon on April 08, 2009, 05:23:11 pm
What a great save Ryan and the bow looks beautiful to boot. So other than the explosion, what do you think about vine maple?
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: medicinewheel on April 08, 2009, 05:55:29 pm

Very nice bow, great save!
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Staver on April 08, 2009, 06:25:53 pm
Like everyone else said...  Great salvage job!!  I'm sure your 2 bow is better than all of mine put together!! ;D ;D  Joe H
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Timo on April 08, 2009, 06:38:44 pm
Looks good Ryan,actually alot better than I thought it would. ;) you are right about not being able to tell much differences in a distance. Handle wrap looks well done, and a good use of short skins. Nice job!
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Hillbilly on April 08, 2009, 09:05:17 pm
Great idea, and a fine looking weapon. We got some of that white stuff here too yesterday.
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: n2everythg on April 08, 2009, 09:26:33 pm
wow that is really cool.
think I would have given up.
Nice job.
wade
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: George Tsoukalas on April 08, 2009, 11:19:51 pm
Nice job, Ryan. There is something special in making a save like that. Jawge
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Ryano on April 08, 2009, 11:36:55 pm
Thanks for the complements everyone.

Chris, Its actually the same stuff that's on the back of that little osage I made that you traded me out of. I got a big piece of it from a little leather shop that we used to have in town years ago. It is pretty thick, thicker than I like for bow backings but it works if your willing to thin it. Worked perfect for this application though.

Keenan, it shoots fine. There's really no noticeable hand shock.

Jesse, no full draw yet. I'll try to get wifey to take one tomorrow.

Phil, we got 8" Monday night into Tuesday and about another 6" last night but its all melting away now. It was up to 50 this afternoon.

Okie, Surprisingly no hand shock to speak of...

Whitewoods, yep.

Gordon, I like it. It seems to hold its unbraced shape really well. It is kind of a pain to work around all the knots and grain swirls but it seems well worth it. Thanks again. Did you ever make anything out of the wood I sent you?

Thanks again guys.....Glad you like it Jawge.  ;D



Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: hawkbow on April 08, 2009, 11:58:08 pm
Now that is what i call a bowyer.. great save brother.. fantastic bow... Hawk
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Pat B on April 09, 2009, 12:08:37 am
Good save, Ryan and a cool bow. Well done!!! 8)
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Ryano on April 09, 2009, 12:23:34 am
Thanks again fella's!  ;D
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Gordon on April 09, 2009, 01:01:57 am
Ryan,

I don't come into osage very often so I've been saving the stave you sent me for something special.
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Aosda on April 09, 2009, 03:46:27 am
Excellent finish,  next challenge "three face".... :D.  Just kidding.  I like the fletching on the arrows too.

Tavis
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: AKAPK on April 09, 2009, 04:48:33 am
Its really cool how ya constructed that one Ryan nice sculptor you are and, you can get jerky with it. ;)
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Pappy on April 09, 2009, 07:43:16 am
Nice save Ryan,waste not want not.I love it. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: GregB on April 09, 2009, 08:15:50 am
Very humanitarian of you Ryan...those limbs had each had a violent event in their past pushing them to the brink of death, you brought them together and made them feel whole again! ;D Great job! ;)
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: DCM on April 09, 2009, 09:42:19 am
Turned out nice.

I did one w/ black locust and hhb years ago, but didn't do the front to back splice like that one.
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Ryano on April 09, 2009, 01:18:31 pm
Thanks Guys.  ;D Three face?  :o I don't think so.... :P
Gordon, there's more where that came from.....lol.  ;)
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: JW_Halverson on April 09, 2009, 01:30:41 pm
I've heard you can't compare apples and oranges, but apparently that doesn't apply to comparing apple limbs and walnuts.  Good work, man, your work embodies the spirit of this craft.
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: adb on April 09, 2009, 08:02:09 pm
Very cool, Ryan! Way to push the envelope!
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Staver on April 09, 2009, 11:31:39 pm
I keep revisiting to check out your "Wild Vine Mapple" - very cool 8) 8) 8)  True craftsmanship at its best! 
Title: Re: A character bow named "Two face" Not for botm.
Post by: Ryano on April 10, 2009, 09:01:53 am
Thanks again fella's!  ;D