Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: bushboy on July 31, 2014, 06:16:45 pm
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Hey all,is it possible to make a stave into a selfbow without backing it with rawhide,sinew,or silk?if it has to be backed I would go with silk.thoughts?thx's Rob!
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I have one in progress. It is plenty long and wide and I am holding my breath. This one has no knots. . . .so maybe
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If the back is clean and you make it wide enough you can. The sapwood is better in tension than the heartwood and vice versa. There are several examples of unbacked ERC bows on this site. My opinion is it is so good in compression and weaker in tension it should be backed to get the most performance.
Grady
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I saw (and shot) an all sapwood ERC ELB style bow. It was light in hand and at 45# it flung an arrow pretty well. Air was the only backing.
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I don't have the balls to try an unbacked erc....even tho I've seen it done....the odds are never in your favor taking that route IMO...its not hard and doesn't take long to throw some rawhide down IMHO,and is quick easy insurance that I will pay for .... Up to you man!!! :laugh:
Let's see some pics of this stave...it better be primo tighter ringed wood with ZERO knots...and preferably tension side wood if possible...show us the goods and we'll tell ya if yea or nay if its worth taking that gamble....but I'll still tell ya to back it even if ya do show us and it meets the aforementioned requirements... :P :laugh:
Gun doc has also made one with quite the long hole in it...not sure how many arras he has put thru it since made tho? ??? I'd like to know...maybe he'll see this and chime in
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Yep, I've made several. If you are going to bang it around a lot I'd back it with thin rawhide. I've found that if ERC doesn't blow while tillering or the first few shots you have a bow. I just cut a pristene piece Sunday, no knots at all or twist. Looks like it was a piece of pipe.
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Its more like a small log I bought today from a small ,but well respected wood store and at 16 bucks I couldn't say no
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Youngbowyer made a sweet 66" ERC longbow for me with a flattened D cross section. It's backed with fresh air and hope, spits an arrow like nobody's business, and pulls 63honest pounds at 26".
Pretty sick when the best bow I have ever shot was made by a 14 yr old kid!
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That looks like a pretty good piece to me. JW, some of the fasting shooting bows I've shot have been ERC with mostly sapwood.
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That would be "Grace", made by youngbowyer. Miss that kid, but like you said, he's probably discovered girls.
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That would be "Grace", made by youngbowyer. Miss that kid, but like you said, he's probably discovered girls.
Had as much fun chasing them when I was younger as I do chasing rings. ;D
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The trade bow I am finishing up is Rawhide backed ERC its 2" wide 50ish pounds and spits lightning. I will cry when I let this one go.
Grady
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I have several Unbacked Ashe juniper bows and my experince says they don't need a backing more then any other bow. If my memory is right this one is about 60 pounds at 25-26"
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Ryan Yoon made a fine looking unbacked ELB style bow from an ERC stave that I gave him at Mojam a couple a three years back.
He actually chased the ring on the back so that might have helped.
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Yep it is a sweet bow, here is the link. It is rawhide backed though.
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,34269.0.html (http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,34269.0.html)
Grady
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Oooops, I thought it was unbacked ? ???
Must be gettin old... ::)