Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: leonwood on April 30, 2019, 11:45:45 am

Title: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: leonwood on April 30, 2019, 11:45:45 am
A little over a year a go I cut some hawthorn. I got six staves out of them but when I debarked them I found they where all littered with bug holes! Only one of the staves looked like it could have a bow in it so I cut a rough bow shape out and stored it away from my other staves to dry.
Sometime this januari I felt like trying that thing so I roughed it out to floor tiller and found some more bug holes and even worse, I found that the big knot on one limb was completely hollow. So first thing I did was drill that out from the belly and fill it with two large plugs.
One limb was pretty clean but the limb with the large knot had some more bug damage mid limb and bend into a few inches of reflex right at the knot. Heated some of this reflex out but did not want to heat it too much at the plugged knot.
I kept the bow long for less stress but could not resist to flip the tips a bit just for looks. Upper limb still looks a bit weird but did not want to risk more bending.
Added laburnum tip overlays and arrow pass and stained the bow with my osage/ammonia/vinegar slurry. The leftover bits of cambium took al different tones from the stain, weird stuff but I like it;-)
Added a contrasting leather handle wrap from and old bag and called it done.

Specs:
Draw weight: 45@28
Length: 66 n.t.n.
Max width: 1.75 inch
Tipoverlays: Laburnum
Stain: osage/ammonia/vinegar
String: 8 strand fastflight


profiles
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47687945912_b467886f2d_b.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32797412007_0ba7e2392c_b.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32797412377_70d72c6da9_b.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47740954161_c9d2589eaa_b.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47687946102_457f9943ab_b.jpg)

braced
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46951481964_715da91dc2_b.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32797412247_7e7af9f6cc_b.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47740954251_197614cc6c_b.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32797412347_063d9c37ed_b.jpg)


details
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/32797412017_e120c3f4e3_b.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/46824247645_a70a82f502_b.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33863829018_85803f6ecb_b.jpg)

knot
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/33863829968_bc7f622947_b.jpg)

belly plugs
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/40774290023_47506d0dd4_b.jpg)

fd
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/47687946212_197614cc6c_b.jpg)
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: Del the cat on April 30, 2019, 11:49:20 am
woo that's gorgeous  :)
Del
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: Rākau on April 30, 2019, 12:39:09 pm
 *describes gnarly stave with all sorts of defects and worry spots

*presents a flawless bow


Amazing! I think you might be a wizard haha the stain is really nice too.

Zach
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: hoosierf on April 30, 2019, 12:53:06 pm
Well that’s just plain cool. Well done.
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: Stixnstones on April 30, 2019, 01:11:42 pm
Wow!
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: airkah on April 30, 2019, 01:12:47 pm
Absolutely beautiful!
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: stuckinthemud on April 30, 2019, 02:04:38 pm
stunning bow in one of my favourite designs, how do you feel hawthorn performs as a bow wood?
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: SLIMBOB on April 30, 2019, 02:09:39 pm
Man, that is sweet looking. Nice work sir!
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: Badger on April 30, 2019, 02:11:31 pm
Beautiful job, I bet she is quick!
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: Bayou Ben on April 30, 2019, 02:20:29 pm
Love that willow leaf shape.  Another masterful job  :OK
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: Hrothgar on April 30, 2019, 04:47:32 pm
Beautiful bow, love the color and finish.
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: bjrogg on April 30, 2019, 05:45:15 pm
That Hawthorn looks killer Leonwood. Beautiful bow.
Bjrogg
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: DC on April 30, 2019, 05:46:03 pm
That's a beaut!!
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: upstatenybowyer on April 30, 2019, 06:53:47 pm
Stunning for sure!
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: okie64 on April 30, 2019, 08:26:24 pm
Awesome bow!
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: backtowood B2W on April 30, 2019, 10:43:47 pm
That's a cool bow, like the design.
To me the lower limb looks a bit stiff too. Looks symmetric to me. If it is assymetric it might be ok.
But I guess if the tiller is on spot you can only tell by shooting it...
CheersB2W
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: Swampman on May 01, 2019, 04:31:40 am
Wow, that is one beautiful bow!  Nice work.
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: leonwood on May 01, 2019, 05:39:06 am
Thanks for the compliments guys! Try to do some whitewood bows lately but they do no all work out so well. Broke an elder and a spindlewood in the last few months so I am glad this one held up.

stunning bow in one of my favourite designs, how do you feel hawthorn performs as a bow wood?
My favorite whitewood (at the moment ;D) for sure! Works real easy and responds great to heat treating. Too bad it is so hard to find a suitable piece.

To me the lower limb looks a bit stiff too. Looks symmetric to me. If it is assymetric it might be ok.
But I guess if the tiller is on spot you can only tell by shooting it...
CheersB2W

Top limb is about an inch longer, shot around 100 arrows before finishing and 500 arrows after and it holds up fine for now, will update this post if it breaks or changes tiller
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: PaSteve on May 01, 2019, 06:30:33 am
Really nice!
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: ohma2 on May 01, 2019, 09:26:51 am
The willow leaf shape caught my eye to .is this a shrub ,small tree or what ?
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: bradsmith2010 on May 01, 2019, 09:32:57 am
wow thats really nice,, congrats,, :)
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: Hawkdancer on May 01, 2019, 09:54:20 am
Very nice!  The leopard has changed his spots!  How do you make your stain?
Hawkdancer
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: SLIMBOB on May 01, 2019, 11:22:16 am
Nice job on those knots btw.  That close to the edge they can be a real nightmare.
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: simson on May 01, 2019, 12:15:07 pm
Masterful work again my friend.
I really know what you are talking about theat worms in hawthorn.
The design is one of my favs, I call it willow leaf  -  pure elegance.
Your stain job is also awesome.

Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: mullet on May 01, 2019, 12:43:27 pm
Very, very nice! I love that stain, really unusual looking.
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: Dante_F on May 01, 2019, 07:48:46 pm
great shape and interesting color. hld as well  (SH)
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: Parnell on May 02, 2019, 05:45:15 am
Graceful lines and beautiful cross-section.  The stain is very good looking.  I always enjoy seeing your work.
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: simk on May 02, 2019, 06:13:01 am
Stunning again.
Adorable how you always fade the belly to the grip - keeping that clean lines!!!
Cheers
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: Knoll on May 02, 2019, 06:39:04 am
Adorable how you always fade the the belly to the grip - keeping that clean lines!!!

Yep.
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: Catkinson on May 02, 2019, 11:13:07 am
Gorgeous
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: leonwood on May 03, 2019, 04:50:02 am
Very nice!  The leopard has changed his spots!  How do you make your stain?
Hawkdancer

Thanks! I used Simson's idea to save my osage scraps and sawdust and threw that in a container with ammonia and vinegar. If you let that soak for a few months it makes an awesome stain! I threw in some ipe and black locust scraps as well. You can also add some steel wool.
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: leonwood on May 03, 2019, 04:52:31 am
Thanks for all the comments and compliments again guys!
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: dratera on May 04, 2019, 04:57:54 am
+1 to the other comments. bow of the month if you ask me
Title: Re: Hawthorn flatbow
Post by: PeteC on May 04, 2019, 05:58:38 am
Outstanding beautiful bow. I like everything about it. Great work.  God Bless