Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Del the cat on May 23, 2015, 05:39:53 pm
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A guy (complete newbie) got in touch with me... he'd wanted to make a bow and had been sold the "Italian Yew" stave to make a 50# bow for £300 (about $460 :o)
He brought it to me as he was frightened to use it. I said I didn't think much of it. It was full of knots and had a big sideways bend. I said I'd do it for him but it was a struggle to even lay out a straight bow on the stave.
I think I did it proud...
The irony is of course that the bloke who sold him the stave could now justify it as a "good stave"... well maybe yes as a character stave for an experienced bowyer but not to a newbie!
My customer told the seller of the stave that an experienced bowyer didn't think much of it. His reply was that the experienced bowyer obviously hadn't used Italian Yew before and that it's completely different to English or American Yew ::).
Well I tried to keep an open mind and treat the stave on it's individual merits.
You'll be shocked to know...
It was much the same as any other Yew I've worked :o.
I've had harder, softer, darker, lighter, coarser and finer grained.
It was funny, when he was showing me the stave I picked up an English Yew off cut from the floor, the ring count was twice that of the "Italian Yew".. his jaw dropped a bit.
Anyhow it's 78" ntn. I did a nice subtle arrow plate using an offcut of horn from the tips which had the central pale core in it.
Just to finish the story, I've just started working on another Italian Yew stave from a warbow that had a crack near the tip. I've been given it to make into a ladies bow (oddly 50# at 28" again... tough lady ;) ) This is the most awful brittle Yew I've ever worked... which ever way I try to work it, even with a razor sharp spokeshave set fine and used at an angle it just tears. It's rasps all the way on this one.
Just shows you can only judge on the individual stave (IMO)
Del
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It looks great Del, how does it shoot? I have never made a low draw weight bow that long before.
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Here are some more pics showing the character.. and the ugly blue stain near the lower nock.
Del
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It looks great Del, how does it shoot? I have never made a low draw weight bow that long before.
I kept it long because of the knots, I din't want to blow up his expensive stave (I'd actually promised I'd make him a replacement bow even if it blew up, 'cos I felt sorry for the guy)
It bangs 'em out pretty quick.
It's a bit heavier than I normally shoot, but it puts 'em where I point. I'm shooting it in at the moment, 10 arrows at a time at 10 yards.
I pinned 5 scraps of paper (about 2" square ) on the target, so I could shoot 2 at each to avoid smashing arrows. First 3 arrows I got 2 of the squares... it tailed off after that >:(
I'll maybe shoot it through the chronoo...
I'm expecting at least 300 fps 'cos it's "Italian" Yew >:D
Del
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Good job on that one Del, you know it only made it because it's Italian ;D
Open grain, sapwood on it's way out and plenty of knots = £300 stave ummm.......I could supply loads of staves like that! By those maths i've probably got about £20,000 in my rafters....
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Great story, gave me a bit of a laugh this morning at work...thanks for that. Fine looking bow too.
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Wonderful bow Del! Even with the handicap of the woods origin. Well done Sir! Josh
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Sure turned out nice
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very very cool, as usual your nocks are beautiful
chuck
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Cheers guys :)
Del
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You never fail to entertain me with your witty writings 😝 8)
Great job, great deed
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It turned out very nice indeed.
The poor fellow got taken that's for sure. He's lucky it was you that made his bow
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Nice work saving that expensive piece of wood Del.
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Cool stick, Del!
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Excellent work!
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Another beauty Del, looks like a shooter to me and great character. :)
Pappy
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Gorgeous bow Del. I want one just like it for myself, soon.
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Awesome work. Beautiful bow. $460 for that stave? Holy crap!!!
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Awesome work. Beautiful bow. $460 for that stave? Holy crap!!!
Makes you wonder if with trans-Atlantic shipping you could still make a decent buck on staves?
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Great bow and yarn Del! :)
Funnily enough I was just thinking this morning- why is Italian Yew supposed to be so great? Even if it's from the Alps surely French, German, Austrian and Swiss Alpine Yew could be just as good? ???
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Geez, that guy got "taken" on the stave but he sure won big with the bowyer. Nice work on the bow Del. I hope this guy appreciates what he has now.
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Beautiful! Good save on a bad buy.
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Cheers guys.
I got an E-mail from the bloke I made it for. He said it shoots really sweet and better than his laminated bow. He's very pleased with the look of it too ;D
Del