Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Del the cat on May 22, 2012, 04:10:10 am
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A guy contacted me asking if some Yew he'd cut a year ago could be made into a longbow. The Yew looked to have a bow in it, but had some tricky features. On the upper limb there is sap wood visible either side but a streak of heartwood shows through on the back which gives the bow it's name.
It's 74"ntn 58# @ 28" (I'd aimed for 60# having forgotten he'd wanted 55#! so I managed to loose a couple of pounds in the final tweaking)
It's been taken back to 30" shoots 170fps with a 11/32" 100gn point arrow, and 177.8 with a light arrow.
Nocks and arrowplate in white Waterbuffalo horn.
She was real hard work and cutting the bow from the stave was tricky as one side was virtually all sapwood. The weird ridge and generally asymetric stave meant it wanted to bend sideways in the early tillering stages, once it was back to full brace it still needed some attention and shifting of the tips to keep it under control.
She shoots like a dream, absolutely slams the arrow where you point 'em, one of my fave's and I know the the guy who cut the Yew will love it.
Oh, pics... you want pics >:D
You can see it has a nice hint of natural reflex on the outer half of each limb.
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/Website%20stills/Unstrung.jpg)
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/Website%20stills/Braced.jpg)
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/Website%20stills/100_2236.jpg)
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/Website%20stills/100_2235.jpg)
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/Website%20stills/nock1.jpg)
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp195/Del_the_Cat/Website%20stills/100_2232.jpg)
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Another lovely yew long bow Dell. Great stuff.
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man del you make some cool bows, and allways with a story, Bub
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Shure is a unique piece ... 8)
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Now that is a beauty,yes he should love that. :)
Pappy
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That says pull me and feel how smooth i am ;) nice one Del
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Mr Cat, ya got to love a bendy bow...I'd need a ladder but what the heck, that's a real pretty bendy bow for sure
rich
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Thats a sweety Del!
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Thanks guys.
Hey Rich, I s'pose you would have sawn the stave in half and made two of your shorties ;D
Del
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Beautiful, elegent bow.
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Del, stunning bow. Love the tiller! jawge
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Nice bow Del! Love the blonde tips :)
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Very well done...nothing finer in my book! :)
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Another beauty Del! Was that ridge something that you flattened on the stave or just natural. The reason I ask is because I have a couple of Pacific yew sister staves that both have some ridges (5mm high max) running along a partial length of the staves. Should I flatten them or do you think would they be alright to leave as is. The sapwood is not thick enough to worry about reducing it.
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Picture perfect ELB Del. beautiful nocks. not a bad full draw either. ;)
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I love those nocks, very well made !
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ELB's are not my choice but damn, Del, that is really nice.
Lane
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that bend looks right on ,doesn't get much better than that. great work.
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Beautiful work Del! And good name for it. ;)
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Another beauty Del! Was that ridge something that you flattened on the stave or just natural. The reason I ask is because I have a couple of Pacific yew sister staves that both have some ridges (5mm high max) running along a partial length of the staves. Should I flatten them or do you think would they be alright to leave as is. The sapwood is not thick enough to worry about reducing it.
The stave had been debarked when I got it, but I don't think there was anything on the outside showing that feature. It was only as I reduced the sapwood I noticed the dark streak appearing. I just left it well alone.
This entry in my Bowyerd diary shows it a bit better.
http://www.bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/weird-heartsap-boundary-emails.html
Del
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Nice bow Del. :)
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Lovely bow there Del. Love to see your work.
George
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Del: You certainly make a fine looking bow. I always look forward to seeing your posts.