Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: half eye on May 12, 2010, 08:11:33 pm
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Got a string in the mail from Ken H along with a note "build a bow around this", and almost the same from Ancient Archer when a box of onondaga chert heads arrived. Well here's what come out of that.
48" ntn, red elm, no backing 46# @ 25 and 48/49? at 26+". 1-1/4" of set (not bad for a short bow pulling nearly 27")The bow came from page 61 BB vol 2 (bow "B") The differences are this bow is shorter, has more scallops, no yarn tied to the upper limb fineal. I also put fewer feather scallops on because of two reasons. #1 they make a noise like a grouse starting to "drum" when ya let the arrow go, and #2 those clusters are distracting when I'm shooting....so they just may have to go. In the bow detail pics you'll see a second cluster that I made but didn't put on the bow. The bow was smoked and painted to the specs in the BB description.
The 3 arrows were made to match the color scheme. They are HEAVY....made from white oak, hard maple, and cherry heart wood (because the shafts weighed the same. they are fletched in the eastern woodland 2 fletch pattern and painted to match the bow color scheme. Heads are Onondaga Chert from ancient archer. Pics are in two posts, hope ya like it......going back to the Mollegabets fer awhile and let the shorties be.
Rich
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Here's the matching arrows
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HOLY MOLEY Rich absolultey beautiful excellent job all the way around! Matching arrows to boot I am amazed! Rich u made my day just looking at that fine work! Have a good day!
Russell
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Beautiful work, That is one fine bow. You get a lot of bend out of a short piece of wood.
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That is insperational. Very nice.
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very very nice !
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Very nice! It's like a history lesson watching you make bows.
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beatiful job! I love short bows! Too bad the feather decorations didn't work out though! Just goes to show you, not everything that looks good is practical! I'de leave the feathers on for display and just remove them when you shoot the bow!
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This is a site for primitive weapons. Your bow underscores this fact not to mention, it is a superbly made bow. Why not BOM?
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Beautiful. Just stunning!
I knew that too short string would find a good home!
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Indeed very nice bow!
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Beautiful work! Jawge
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great looking weapon!! the full draw pic is perfect.
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Ya nailed that one Rich, Thats a functional work of art, wood taken to its highest form. Bravo
N2
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Thanks for the nice comments from all of you. Old Bow, no offense to the whole BOM thing, but my stuff doesn't fit the mold of the bom voters tastes'. No matter how primitive, split board hunting bows with natural wood treatments and no add on's, not to menton the dull finishes aint gonna get it done. It is just nice to be able to post for the guys who like this sort of thing.
Rich
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Beautiful set of bow and arrows--very authentic looking. No resting wood in that tiller either!
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Cool little bow 8). Now thats short :o
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Another beauty - way to go.
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Very nice bow,well done,I know he will love that. :)
Pappy
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I'm impressed with your bow, I'm sure the question has come up on here before but, what if any is the function of the scalloped edge? you'd think it would cause problems violating the edge grain. Not to mention the holes drilled for the feather clusters, obviously it works since I've seen many of these.
VB
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VB,
As far as I can tell, the edge carved NA bows were peculiar to the tribes east of the Mississippi river from about Northern Fla north to Maine and Minnesota (Including sub-artic Canada) Aslo known as Eastern Woodland. A lot of the tribes referred to the "earliest" peoples as Annihinabii (original people or old people). There are a few known bows of theirs that are scalloped (both sides). With bows that are straight sided the scallops can be used for tillering the arc by regulating their depth into the bow. On the bows that are tapered (usually on side only) the scallops are decorational, because the stone sanding will "automatically" taper the limb's thickness toward the tips.
Eastern Woodland bows are also edge carved into ovals with squares, some with "saw teeth" and several other patterns. So I really do believe that the carving did a few things, 1. Identify a bow to a particular tribe or group. 2. Identify a bow to a particular individual. 3. Put strong "medicine" into the bow (for hunting or war). I dont believe that there is a "hard and fast" rule for why they were carved, but rather it could have been a combination of factors.
When I asked Jay about this or that, regarding bows, most of his explanations involved " what the bow owners wishes were". Which included grip wrapping, incised or painted designs, and add-on decorations (feathers and the like). He went on to say that the Ottawa were trained to make their own bows, but that some others had villiage bow makers.
Sorry for the long winded answer. I believe that each bow had particular design features that identified it as a certain tribes bow, and the rest of it was to the individual and involved their ancestors history, more so than a mechanical purpose. That is an opinion based on talking with some NA folks....so I might be all wet too, for what ever it's worth.
Rich
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really nice bow.looks great!!!!
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Rich.
I just saw this post. I have been consentrating on the flint knapping and have not been looking at the bows forum.. Look what I missed, another great bow and arrows from you. Great job.
I havent forgot about the points you wanted either, just may take a bit to get the ones you want right.
Tell
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Tell, all your points are "right".
Rich
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HOLY MOLEY Rich absolultey beautiful excellent job all the way around! Matching arrows to boot I am amazed! Rich u made my day just looking at that fine work! Have a good day!
Russell
DITTO!
RON
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Thanks for the great explanation of the bow design, really interesting. I'd like to try building one.
VB
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Great looking bow half eye... Those eastern styles are neat lookin' bows and you sure do a nice job on them .
I might have to try making one of that style out of some elm or hickory.
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No problem VB,
Hey Paul,
I've made 'em out of both woods, and both are great!!! I really believe ya cant go wrong with either one, because of their inter-tangled grain fibers, and both woods will pull a long ways, which is real good for a true self bow. If I can ever help ya please advise. TX: (231) 587-8542 and email is rousseau.rd@att.net
Rich
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Thanks Rich, I appreciate the offer and might take ya up on it . BTW, got my copy of PA today and I'm looking forward to reading your article.
Mancelona eh ? Used to live in Traverse City myself.... still have some hard maple that I slabbed out with a chainsaw mill over 20 years ago. Wonder if there's a bow in there?
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Paul,
We both know about that cured hard maple.....there is only a bow if ya want a butt-kickin, hard pullin, and smokin fast bow ;D
Rich