Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: nathan elliot on September 24, 2009, 04:21:52 pm
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Just finished up my first Yew longbow! This is the fulfilment of an ambition I have had since I was a boy. Yew sure is a great bow wood.
Just before I finished the yew I completed a really nice laburnum longbow. Laburnum is another one of those woods that has a great contrast between the heart and sapwood. I have read that the ancient Gauls would pick Laburnum over Yew to make there bows. So It was good fun to compare the two woods back to back so to speak.
First up is laburnum 65" pulling 72# @ 28". Backed with linen and TB3
(http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt139/nathanelliot_bucket/2009%20projects/septyewbow032.jpg)
(http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt139/nathanelliot_bucket/2009%20projects/septyewbow027.jpg)
(http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt139/nathanelliot_bucket/2009%20projects/3newbows052.jpg)
(http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt139/nathanelliot_bucket/2009%20projects/3newbows069.jpg)
(http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt139/nathanelliot_bucket/2009%20projects/septyewbow038.jpg)
Laburnum is a great bow wood. This bow is 1" wide at the centre tapering to 1/4" at the nock. I have read that the sapwood is week in tension, thats why I backed it. I don't think it is so I am going to leave my next one's unbacked.
This is my yew longbow
74"nock to nock 60# @ 28". The stave had quite some decurve, so I recurved the tips to keep the set down .
(http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt139/nathanelliot_bucket/septyewbow033.jpg)
(http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt139/nathanelliot_bucket/septyewbow023.jpg)
(http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt139/nathanelliot_bucket/septyewbow025.jpg)
(http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt139/nathanelliot_bucket/septyewbow015.jpg)
(http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt139/nathanelliot_bucket/septyewbow045.jpg)
(http://i605.photobucket.com/albums/tt139/nathanelliot_bucket/septyewbow030.jpg)
I have 3 laburnum stave's and 4 yew, give me a couple of months and I will have a better idea. But right now I think those ancient Gaul warriors may have had something.
Regards
Nat
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Both really nice!
I have Laburnum standing aroud, too, waiting to be bend some day...
Hey, where are you located? Looks really German in the background!
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Real nice looking bows. Did you make the tips?
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Looks great. Great tiller.
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2 very nice bows.
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Both bows are very nice. I've worked yew and like it as a bow wood but I've never worked laburnum. I've only seen it here in landscapes and it is a cultivated hybrid.
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Great looking bows!!
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i was wondering where he was from to...it DOES look very german!
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Regardless of where he's from, just tell him not to let the string go when he's drawing those bows in such small confines....that arrow would ricochet right into his face!
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Not to speak of the defect in the wall it might cause... 8) 8) 8)
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I knew bowyers are an observant lot, but this is amazing. How you guys can tell I am in Germany from brick work is astounding! Yeah I am stationed in Germany at the moment, good call. Gald you like the bows.
Nat
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I was given a pipe straight yew log about 4 inch diamter, split it only to find it had two hearts and has sucked the bark into the middle :(
I would love to try yew again and those bows will be my inspriation to "find" some.
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... How you guys can tell I am in Germany from brick work is astounding! Yeah I am stationed in Germany at the moment, good call. ...
It's the well-trained instinct I iguess... 8) 8) 8)
Where are you? K-Town area??
That's near my mother's place.
Maybe we can get together some time, talking bows, shooting arrows...
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Beautiful bow,very nice job. :)
Pappy
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... How you guys can tell I am in Germany from brick work is astounding! Yeah I am stationed in Germany at the moment, good call. ...
It's the well-trained instinct I iguess... 8) 8) 8)
Where are you? K-Town area??
That's near my mother's place.
Maybe we can get together some time, talking bows, shooting arrows...
I'm in NRW, near Koln & Dusseldorf. I could talk bows all day ;D talking to someone else would sure give my wife a rest. If your near by that would be cool
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Great bows love the contrast between the sapwood and heartwood :)
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Nat, that's even better: I live an hour south of Cologne; near Euskirchen.
Where exactly are you??
Can see your wife might need a rest from bow talk... ;D ;D ;D
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Nice bows, I have a billet of Laburnum, a bit short with a little twist, might splice up to make a bow , or maybe a crossbow prod to go in an all wood primitive crossbow.
So many bows...so much wood...so little time.
Del
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dude, i like these bows alot...i didn't realize laburnum wood looked like that!
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That laburnum is some nice looking stuff i'll have to try to find some some day. Awesome looking bows, good job!
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Very nice bows. Congratulations. Jawge
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laburnum grows everywhere here in Victoria, i'm gonna go ask some nice people to let me cut some!
so what are the rules? long bow? d-bow? flatbow? does it take to heat? recurve?
WHAT???????
I'm gonna get some!
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I would say leave the sapwood on if you can, if you debark cover with the back with cling film to stop checking. Mine is only an inch thick at the widest and it pulls 70#. I think any design would work with this stuff, you just need less of it. It responds well to heat correction, I did not heat treat mine. In my opinion this stuff should be rated up there with yew and osage as premium bow wood. And when you start looking the stuff is everywhere! Good hunting!
Nat