Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: fiddler49 on March 03, 2015, 03:00:20 am
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Lot of pics of build along on PaleoPlanet http://paleoplanet69529.yuku.com/topic/61736/Gemsbok-horn-bow-build-flexed-horn-limbs-plus-sa
I got a pair of old gemsbok horns from a friend and made a very cool take down bow!!! I used a new 1/4 sawn ash wheel borrow handle to join the horns. Horns are 34 inches long and have 1 3/4" butt ends after cutting off the ragged bits. I tillered the horn on belly and back and re flexed limb ends with heat gun. I also pinned the horns to handle with 16 penny nails for safety and are easily removed to take down bow. Here's a few pics a lot more on PP. cheers fiddler49
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I still need to sand out the limbs but it shoots great. I draws like a war bow, I can get it back to around 26 inches
likely around 60 lbs. Bow is about 72" ntn the handle is 9 inches between horn butts and extends into horn 4 inches. The red thread wraps are fast flite. cheers fiddler49
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Pretty cool take down there fiddler!
Tattoo Dave
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cool bow fiddler
did you stained the horns or is it natural colour?
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that's cool!
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You know you can't post a bow like this without a full draw picture. AGAINST THE RULES! ;D
Let's see it.
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Yup... full draw please!
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Sweet.
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Very nice. I really like that bow. Thanks for sharing!
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Thanks lads. I don't have a full draw of the re flexed limbs but but when the sun comes back out I'll get one!
Here's a full draw pic with the limbs before re flexing and few others. These horns were pretty old at least 30 years maybe older! I filled the horns with clothes softener and rubbed it into the out side and left them for a couple hours. Softener,hair conditioner, and hoof flex do pretty much the same thing, replace the plastisizer on the surface that keeps the material flexible. I measured 60 plus at 26 inches. I usually draw 31.5 " but can't get it back that far at the moment!! cheers fiddler49
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The arrow on the full draw pic is 32 inches I got it back to about 30 " The limbs had about 6 inches of deflex
unbraced. I re flexed the limbs to get early draw weight and arrow speed up and boy did it!! There is also an unbraced pic on the bench. The tiller tree pic is at 26 inches. cheers fiddler49
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That bow looks absolutely amazing! Thanks for sharing fiddler you seem to have a really unique and creative approach to bowmaking. (I've enjoyed seeing some of your other work on PP)
Keep em coming! :)
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When I first braced the bow I could not pull the limbs past about 15 inches so I took my angle grinder to the back and belly. The horns were evenly matched and balanced but way to strong!!! It was still too strong so I took off the knobs down to the wraps. The cross section is more rectangular now. I read on wiki that the female gemsbok
has longer but narrower horns than the bulls. The pics showed a lot of variation in lengths, dia., curve and symmetry. Something to think about if you order them. cheers fiddler49
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Hi Fiddler49
I spent 18 years in Southern Africa and have never seen one of these bows in the flesh. I only seen a few in pictures. Some those where in build alongs. Did you know that Gemsbok is the the Africaans name for this animal. In english its an Oryx. Its is true that the female is smaller than the male but not by much. This bow has two other nicknames. The Oddyseus Bow(can't spell it) and the 10 minute Bow. Everyone who's made one of these bows talks a lot about the difficulty of tillering it, I've never heard of anyone using an angle grinder. Your bow looks great in every way. Everyone talks about the end product at full draw being 160-180lbs. Pardon my sugguestion but you could repair a lot of broken hearts by posting it on youtube. Fantastic work.
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Very interesting. So what do you account the "lower" 60# weight of this bow to? How is that tillered?
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He flattened the horn, belly and back as stated.
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Dang Fiddler that bow is too cool. I would have never even thunk about building one of those. I would say that it is an excellent use of those horns. Better than just sitting in the corner looking exotic. I also think that the takedown idea is great especially at that length. Danny
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Super cool- got something new on my 'I want one' list.
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Big up! 8)
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I love it when people fiddle around with odd and unique materials or designs!
Where did you order your horns?
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Thanks again lads,
JW, A friend gave the horns to me. He was visiting his daughter and they were in the old shed behind her house.
They were there when she bought the house 30 years before. I just went over to his house today and showed him the bow then shot it. He was very impressed. He has been a bow hunter for a long time. He's 82 ,and killed a grizzly at 7 yards on Kodiak two years ago and a water buff in South Africa last fall. cheers fiddler49
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I used my belt sander with 120 grit to smooth down the limbs, then 220 grit. It doesn't stack at 31 inches like before!! Must have taken enough horn off finally. Likely 75 lbs at 31". Shot about 60 arrows out at our bag range today and got some full draw pics in the woods. Also put some 5 minute epoxy into the horn butts to strengthen the horn and give a better fit to the handle. I put petroleum jelly on the handle inserts as a release agent. Also rounded out my nail pins ends and did a counter sink on the belly side of pin holes in handle for easier pinning. I was shooting with a guy with a 50 lb recurve and my bow was much faster than his!!! The bows tips are working like a recurve now. cheers fiddler49
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that is awesome...
one of these days i'll make me one... until then i'll wish for this one...
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I have been dreaming of making one of these for years.
For me, step #1 is flying to Africa and taking a large female gemsbok at a waterhole with a handmade bow and my own arrows!
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Nawww Jw you got it all wrong. Step one, dropped off in Africa wearing just a kangaroo loincloth. Then either jump on the back of a gemsbock and wrestle the horns off it or chase the lions off a fresh kill. Then use the sinew for string, horns for bow, femur wrapped in the skin ( for tight fit ) for the handle. At least, thats how I would do it....
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Nawww Jw you got it all wrong. Step one, dropped off in Africa wearing just a kangaroo loincloth. Then either jump on the back of a gemsbock and wrestle the horns off it or chase the lions off a fresh kill. Then use the sinew for string, horns for bow, femur wrapped in the skin ( for tight fit ) for the handle. At least, thats how I would do it....
Don't let common sense or judgement get in your way!
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Its more of a money thing.... I dont have any.
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Those are large horns, you can get horns from Atlantic Coral Supply in St. Augustine, Fl.
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Was looking at theirs. They all appear to be bull gemsbok horns. Theirs are much thicker and they wear them down so that more and more of the horn is the hollow base. The cow horns are often longer from lack of wear and narrower as well.
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In the full draw pics it looks like they are a smooth arc. How does this work with the reflex added? Does it pull out at full draw, or what? Just surprised that the arc is so nice, considering all the work of heating them etc.
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Yes the tips are flexing more than the the rest of the limb. If I din't reflex them they would be whip tillered. They are now working re curves like on a modern recurve but the reflex will not come out like in a self bow over time.
The bow string is tracking very nice so I could bend the limbs around a bit more to make it a true recurve but I likely wouldn't be able to draw it 31 " It shoots fast at a reasonable draw weight for me now! cheers fiddler49
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Definitely one of the coolest bows I've seen! Now I want to make one! ;)
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And again today, I am back looking at the pictures! I just cannot let this one go....