Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: dragonman on May 09, 2010, 05:18:33 pm

Title: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: dragonman on May 09, 2010, 05:18:33 pm
Just finnished this bow and thought you might like to see it. It is ash backed cherry. 69" ntn, 48#@27". It is made in 5 pieces, 2 backing strips butt joined in the centre with a handle overlay and 2 billets of cherry V-spliced together.All the joins are under the handle and cant be seen. It came out a bit light for me, I'm used to using ipe and bamboo and the stiffness at the floor tillering stage through me off ??? but anyway its a nice bow to shoot, no hand shock and a respectable speed for its weight. There are pin knots in the cherry but they dont appear to have done anything  O:) It has taken under an inch of set after shooting in.

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Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: n2huntn on May 09, 2010, 05:26:06 pm
Nice lines and detail work.
N2
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: dragonman on May 09, 2010, 05:33:31 pm
heres a couple of full draw shots

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Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: Badger on May 09, 2010, 05:35:15 pm
Nice design on that bow. Good Job Steve
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: Gordon on May 09, 2010, 05:53:55 pm
I don't normally care for that design because I think most folks leave too little working limb and too much mass in the tips. But you executed it very nicely. That's a cool looking dagger - did you make it?
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: El Destructo on May 09, 2010, 06:19:58 pm
Like Gordon said...nicely done....I like the Lever Tips...but I too don't like them when they are damned near half the Limb Length....looks nice at full draw
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: Frode on May 09, 2010, 06:24:01 pm
Very nice! I really like the tip/nock treatment!
Frode
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: jeff halfrack on May 09, 2010, 06:30:32 pm
 Very   nice!!  as  stated  above, I also  haven't  been  keen  on  this  type of  bow,  but  you  have  just  sparked an  intrest  I  me  my  friend!  thank you!!  where  did  you  find  the  dimensions??  and  could  you  share  w/ us  what  they  were?  I  would  like to  try  one  in  white  oak with  a  backing  of some  type  and  would  love to  know  the  numbers  on  this  bow!  thank you  very  nice  work!!! JEFFW
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: Justin Snyder on May 09, 2010, 06:35:06 pm
I love the tiller on this bow. The working and non working proportions are perfect.  I like the longer working portions. I also like that you haven't made the nonworking portions so thick. This bow reminds me of my first bow, great work and thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: rattlesnake on May 09, 2010, 06:39:40 pm
i think that bow is beautiful!!...and the weight is just fine for deer hunting...super nice job!!....snake
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: dragonman on May 09, 2010, 07:00:33 pm
Thanks a lot guys, I apreciate the compliments. I took a long time figuring out what dimensions these these woods could  take and I think I am close!!  As usual, in retrospect, I could have improved it, but I think the working sections need to be this long to avoid set, I wish I'd made the handle smaller though.
        Yes Gordon I made the dagger, did all the metal work myself, The bow has a Viking mood I feel and this knife is also in a Viking style, so I thought they went together, I just wanted a chance to show it off, probably not the right place though ??? Heres another pic. anyway

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Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: LEGIONNAIRE on May 09, 2010, 09:39:32 pm
wow dragonman, that design is so simple but it gave it an exellent touch. By the way cool sword
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: Lombard on May 09, 2010, 10:02:57 pm
Whatever else you may say about the bow, it sure looks nice, and that is a really nice looking blade.
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: bowkee on May 09, 2010, 10:30:27 pm
really nice bow tiller is cool too :)
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: Timo on May 09, 2010, 11:38:20 pm
Really nice arc. Never made one of those types,never had the urge. You did it well. ;)
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: AncientArcher76 on May 10, 2010, 12:58:20 am
Nice bow and the sword is to finish them off!!!
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: Del the cat on May 10, 2010, 04:52:34 am
Very handsome bow.
Del
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: dragonman on May 10, 2010, 06:48:46 am
I think that this design  of bow has its roots in prehistoric Europe, and maybe it is harder for you guys in the States to relate to it. I also prefer the the more elegant slender bows. but as a design for the less dense white woods,more common in Northen Europe, it appears to be quite a practcal solution. I also found it a usefull learning how the design clearly seperates the bending portion of the limb from the non-bending tips. It is a bit like a static recurve without the recurve. It is good to know exactly what every square inch of wood is actuay doing within any design. I plan to try one more of these as an ash backed white oak and try and improve it further. I believe the tips could be considerably lighter still.
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: Pappy on May 10, 2010, 08:38:33 am
Very nice work,it a beauty. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: KenH on May 10, 2010, 10:41:19 am
Dragonman - beautiful work.  I recently finished one myself, in Maple backed Black Locust.  That's the design from the Møllegabet archaeological dig, rather than the Hølmgård site.  It has the distinct shoulders that a Hølme doesn't.  Over 7000 year old design, 'way pre-Viking, but one of the most sophisticated designs of bow known until the composite bows of the Chinese 5000 years later.

I think your idea of Ash backed White Oak would be really good.  Get those rigid outer limbs down to 6mm wide.  You can make this design with a narrrower working limb.  The one I just finished has virtually no shoulder down to the handle.  Here's what I mean:
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,19292.0.html
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: OldBow on May 10, 2010, 11:54:12 am
Good to have dragonman and his fine bows back posting again. Excellent submit for May laminate BOM.
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: Dane on May 10, 2010, 12:44:42 pm
Absolutely lovely work. I do disagree with your comment that North Americans can't relate to prehistoric bows. Anymore, they are the only bow designs that interest me. I recently recieved "The Bow Builder's Book", and am really enjoying it. I've found that unless a bow design really catches my interest, I don't want to bother starting a bow, and it seems only the Mesolithic and Neolithic designs "do it" for me. I just started a replica of the Tybrind Vig bow, and have another Sarnate bow in the works.

Dane

I think that this design  of bow has its roots in prehistoric Europe, and maybe it is harder for you guys in the States to relate to it. I also prefer the the more elegant slender bows. but as a design for the less dense white woods,more common in Northen Europe, it appears to be quite a practcal solution. I also found it a usefull learning how the design clearly seperates the bending portion of the limb from the non-bending tips. It is a bit like a static recurve without the recurve. It is good to know exactly what every square inch of wood is actuay doing within any design. I plan to try one more of these as an ash backed white oak and try and improve it further. I believe the tips could be considerably lighter still.
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: dragonman on May 10, 2010, 02:21:04 pm
sorry Dane if that comment came across wrong, there where a few guys posting earlier saying,it wasn't their favourite design, and I agree,it isn't mine either . It was more of an experiment. I just through in that comment as a possibility! In the same way, over here we dont have access to the native American bow traditions in the same way as you do, and there are very few people in England,( that I have heard of anyway) making these type of short native designs.We are all exposed to different influences, that is really what I meant.
Thanks for that info KenH, I dont know much about the actual archeological evidence, I will use these dimensins for my next bow of this style

Davd
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: Dane on May 10, 2010, 02:47:12 pm
Oh, no appology necessary. Even though there is a great tradition of Native American archery in North America, many of us, if not most, are of European ancestry. Bows like the one you build are the bows of my own ancestors. As interesting as Native American bows are, I can't relate to them in the same way, say, and Englishman can related to the ELB. Most of my family tree springs from Northern Europe, so maybe that is why bows from stone age Europe touch me deeply.

Dane
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: dragonman on May 10, 2010, 03:13:40 pm
 You are right Dane. That is actually my first proper holmeguard ( or, mollegabit as KenH kindly informed me) I've made and I was suprised how it did 'touch' some ancient ancestral connection, that I didn't even realise was there. It is good to connect to the ancestors, and good to know that connection is still there. This island was once one massive oak forest full of tribes and wild animals. Thats a good thng to remember I'd say!!!
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: Cooper on May 10, 2010, 03:39:21 pm
A fine bow and a very adequate realization of this venerable design.
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: acker on May 10, 2010, 05:21:16 pm
 :)  great bow, you made a good job on it
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: Kolton on May 10, 2010, 05:32:07 pm
very nice bow,i lke the sword


     Kolton
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: hammertime on May 11, 2010, 02:19:08 pm
I do like the design and as is with most things in bow building you never know to you try.beautiful work,Hammertime
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: medicinewheel on May 11, 2010, 03:27:53 pm
Great bow, nice dagger!
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: dragonman on May 11, 2010, 05:12:10 pm
thanks everyone. I shot this bow through a chrono today and it was averaging 152fps, I guess that is about average.
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: DirtyDan on May 11, 2010, 11:24:04 pm
Tremendous design and craftsmanship.  Beautiful markings and great tiller.
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: GregB on May 12, 2010, 09:00:07 am
Very impressive job on your bow! The dagger is extremely nice as well!
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: venisonburger on May 12, 2010, 01:24:38 pm
Thats really an attractive bow, nicely done.
VB
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: El Destructo on May 12, 2010, 01:46:07 pm
Thats really an attractive bow, nicely done.
VB

Mark.....Women as attractive.....Bows are just Purdy....  >:D
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: tdog on May 12, 2010, 04:01:38 pm
Great looking bow for sure. Nice job.
Title: Re: ash- backed cherry holmgaard
Post by: Shadow Walker on May 12, 2010, 11:09:32 pm
Nice tiller on that one! that giant letter opener looks pretty menacing as well!