Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: african man on April 25, 2009, 06:34:12 am

Title: Character bow
Post by: african man on April 25, 2009, 06:34:12 am

I have always loved the look of the snaky character bows that are posted , but don't have access to snaky osage so I've been trying some of the local woods. One that has shown huge promise is "common star apple" or "monkey plumb"  (Diospyros dichrophylla) . It is a very gnarly bush around here and is difficult to find long enough staves . I tryed a 54" branch that I pulled to 28" that would just not break even though it was badly tillered . I then tryed a longer one .... and here it is.

55# @ 28"  67" ntn
nocks - kudu horn 
decorations - Knysna lourie feathers  (road kill)

This bow gave me a few headaches trying to get the tiller right (still not 100% happy with it , but it will have to do ) the next one will be better , I kept on seeing hindges were there weren't any really , due to all the undulations ...  :P

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2358600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2359600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2360600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2362600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2339600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2340600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2345600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2350600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2351600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2348600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2357600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2354600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2355600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2356600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2352600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2365600.jpg)

Chris ... ;)   

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: cracker on April 25, 2009, 07:08:11 am

Good looking piece of work. I really like that gnarly stuff.Ron

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: african man on April 25, 2009, 07:08:38 am

and a few more ... :P :-\

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2368600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2370600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2371600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2372600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2374600.jpg)

(http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk87/africanman2/snake%20bow/DSC_2375600.jpg)

Xris ...  ;)

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: medicinewheel on April 25, 2009, 07:54:38 am

WOW...!

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: Olschool on April 25, 2009, 08:46:34 am

I also like to work with more challenging pieces of wood. Those knots will keep you busy  ;D
Excellent job on a beautiful bow

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: Pat B on April 25, 2009, 10:10:01 am

Very cool bow, Chris. I love character bow most of all.  Diospyros is the same genera as our persimmon which is a hard wood and makes good bows.

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: Jesse on April 25, 2009, 11:23:40 am

thats a lot of bumps and curves on that one. WOW :o I dont think I would be up for that challenging of a stave but you puled it off nicely. Great job.

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: Timo on April 25, 2009, 12:21:19 pm

Impressed with that one for shore! I'm working on an elm character bow right now that has the twists and turns along it's length, so I can understand what it is you went through while tillering. Ya just don't know what to look at?  ;D Ya did a good job on that one.

Love them feathers,must be a very perty bird that carries them. Also the kudu horn is quite cool. Would love some of that stuff.

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: Keenan on April 25, 2009, 12:29:04 pm

 Very impressive African man. I love character bows and that definitely has some character. takes allot more time and skill to pull off a bow from a chunk of wood like that and the dips and dives can certainly be a challenge to judge the tiller but you did very well. Congratulations.   Keenan

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: piper on April 25, 2009, 12:39:38 pm

VERY NICE

   Curt

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: OldBow on April 25, 2009, 12:43:43 pm

Now THIS is a bow. Character, primitive, new wood, and well made. Bookmarked, too :)

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: Diligence on April 25, 2009, 02:41:24 pm

Well done!  I really like the looks of that one....hope the finger injury wasn't caused by the bow...lol.

D

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: venisonburger on April 25, 2009, 02:50:25 pm

Thats some character all right! nice one
VB

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: NOMADIC PIRATE on April 25, 2009, 03:03:06 pm

Awsome!!!! ...love caracter bows, and looks like you got it bending just right

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: nickf on April 25, 2009, 03:53:22 pm

really gorgeous and simply stunning character bow!

well done :D

Nick

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: Hillbilly on April 25, 2009, 04:13:17 pm

You did a mighty good job getting that tiller from that piece of wood, that's a gnarly sucker. I'd like to see one of those birds, too. And like Pat said, our native persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) makes good bows, it's a very hard, tough wood.

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: mullet on April 25, 2009, 05:03:39 pm

   Whooaa That's Narley Dude! ;D ;D ;) Man you did a heck of a job with that piece of wood. Well done, and I'd love some of those feathers.

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: hammertime on April 25, 2009, 05:42:02 pm

Yeah really,really like that.Sweet looking bow That looks like it took some patience.Awesome Hammertime

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: Bear on April 25, 2009, 05:57:44 pm

Man I love a gnarly bow. Awsome!

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: Shaun on April 25, 2009, 06:08:56 pm

Very nice! It looks like it would sprout if you stuck it in the ground. Nice work leaving the knots "proud" and seeing the tiller through all the bumps.

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: Gordon on April 25, 2009, 11:51:03 pm

You did really well on that piece of wood. Those "hinges" that you think you are seeing are natural dips. The tiller looks right on to me. Just excellent...

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: burn em up chuck on April 26, 2009, 12:01:18 am

very,very nice. i have special place in my heart for the character pieces nature gives us.


                                                                               chuck

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: african man on April 26, 2009, 04:37:50 pm

Thanxs guys
Definitely going to cut some more , now that I see it works , have about eight staves marked at the moment but didn't want to cut them down until I had checked the wood out.
Yes , the Knysna Lourie is a beautiful bird vivid green with white spots around it's neck and head and bright red under it's wings when it flies  , lives in the forest here , but it's slow and clumsy so you get a lot of them being hit by cars , I always pick them up if they are not too squashed ...  :-\
This will be my last bow for a while as I am moving at the moment to the mountains and don't know when I'll be setting up shop again ...  :'( hopefully not too long , but there is really good hunting up there , the wild life comes right into the garden ( but I've been band from hunting Bambi in the garden ...  :-\ )

Xris ...  ;)   

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: Muina on April 26, 2009, 05:13:27 pm

That's such a beautiful bow, you always produce amazing work.

I just looked at a picture of that bird, absolutely gorgeous, I don't blame you for picking up as many as you can! Are the feathers any good for fletches?

Again, excellent work, certainly a lot of character in that bow.

Muina

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: George Tsoukalas on April 26, 2009, 05:25:00 pm

You did a great job on that stave. Well done! Jawge

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: threeundr on April 26, 2009, 05:35:43 pm

 Chris, I love that bow! I know that took alot of patience. Keep up the good work!

-Leonard-

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: african man on April 26, 2009, 06:15:03 pm

Thanxs again guys

The feathers are too soft , made some mini arrows with them

X ... ;)

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: Kent D. on April 27, 2009, 03:57:05 pm

That bow does have some funky twists.  I love it.  You did an excellent job.

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: billy on April 27, 2009, 04:33:18 pm

Now that is just freakin AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I love that bow!!!  great job!

Title: Re: Character bow
Post by: Aosda on April 27, 2009, 06:55:58 pm

Excellent work!  And if you're banned from hunting Bambi in the garden, just wait it leaves the garden.  5Ft should be good >:D