Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Black Moshannon on December 07, 2020, 07:27:34 pm

Title: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Black Moshannon on December 07, 2020, 07:27:34 pm
I finished this bow recently. It's sixty pounds at 27"  right now. I've only shot it around eighty times and expect it may lose a little weight which will be good. It's from a small hickory tree, 64" long and 1 1/4 wide, D bow profile, flat belly and naturally crowned back. I heated in a little reflex and heat treated after I got the bow to brace. It has just under an inch of string follow. I attempted to get the outer limbs working more on this bow and I think it's better than some of my priors.. I stained the back, which I left some of the cambium on, with walnut stain I made from hulls.

The arrow pass is a keystone for my Commonwealth State, Pennsylvania of course. I filed a nail head into a keystone shape and burned it in. It didn't come out perfect as you can see. I will try to reshape the nail head a little and see how the next one goes. I was happy that a few people did recognize it as a keystone though. I finished it with tung oil and tru oil and put a linen string on. Shoots snappy so far.  Let me know what you think of it. Thanks for looking
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Black Moshannon on December 07, 2020, 07:31:38 pm
Some more photos.
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Allyn T on December 07, 2020, 07:35:19 pm
Nice curves
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Black Moshannon on December 07, 2020, 07:36:54 pm
And more..
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Black Moshannon on December 07, 2020, 07:39:46 pm
Nice curves

Thanks Allyn
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Morgan on December 07, 2020, 07:44:58 pm
I like it. How’d you make your stain?
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Black Moshannon on December 07, 2020, 07:53:09 pm
I like it. How’d you make your stain?

I had a bunch of old black walnuts in a bucket. I let some water in there and it sat awhile. I drained it off and it was real dark and thick, like motor oil, and a bit rancid smelling... I ended up mixing it with some vodka and storing in canning jars. Smells better now
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: bownarra on December 08, 2020, 12:02:04 am
Cool bow :) Well done. Great stain job.
I think the outer limbs could come around a little more, more so on the upper limb. Just let the set guide you :)
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Black Moshannon on December 08, 2020, 01:23:15 am
Cool bow :) Well done. Great stain job.
I think the outer limbs could come around a little more, more so on the upper limb. Just let the set guide you :)

Thanks. Yes I’m getting closer to the right shape but I guess just not quite there. Seemed like I scraped so much off the last twenty inches off limb but it still wasn’t enough. I’ll get bolder on the next one. I notice the middle bending handle section seems to start bending of its own accord without taking off much wood.
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: NonBacked on December 08, 2020, 10:36:03 am
Kenneth, you sure got a lot of bow out of that Hic Sick! Good looking all the way around.
Have you had a chance to get the mass weight? That would be an interesting number.
H
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Black Moshannon on December 08, 2020, 12:58:46 pm
Kenneth, you sure got a lot of bow out of that Hic Sick! Good looking all the way around.
Have you had a chance to get the mass weight? That would be an interesting number.
H

Thanks! I have not weighed it. I haven’t looked into bow mass yet but i’ve been thinking about it lately. I will start weighing them. Are they supposed to be weighed in grams? Also curious how the wood itself would affect that, like red elm is so much lighter than hickory
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Santanasaur on December 08, 2020, 03:56:22 pm
Awesome bow Kenneth! Love how the cambium camo looks with the walnut stain
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Pat B on December 08, 2020, 04:21:10 pm
Thats everything you need for a hunting bow. Very nice.   :OK
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Black Moshannon on December 08, 2020, 06:25:09 pm
Thanks Pat and Santana. I'm going to hunt with it next year, just a little heavy yet for me now. I'm comfortable with my 53-55# elm bow.
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Pappy on December 09, 2020, 05:56:23 am
Nice job, Hickory makes a fine bow. :)
 Pappy
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: bjrogg on December 09, 2020, 06:07:06 am
Nice work Kenneth . I love the pictures in the barn
Bjrogg
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Black Moshannon on December 09, 2020, 11:11:49 am
Thanks Pappy and BJ
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Will B on December 10, 2020, 08:30:32 am
That’s a beauty!  I love hickory bows with cambium left on for a nice camouflage looks. Great bend on that bow. Well done!
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: barebo on December 11, 2020, 08:15:38 am
Simple-N-Sweet - Perfect!!!
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Selfbowman on December 11, 2020, 09:47:55 am
Nice bow. I see linen on it . How many strands . I’m always looking for superior linen. Arvin
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Black Moshannon on December 11, 2020, 02:39:39 pm
Thanks fellas. Arvin, its 12 strands of Barbour linen size five thread. This thread broke at around 23 pounds. I’ve made a bunch of strings with it and none have broken yet. I’m keeping track of the number of shots I take with some of the bows to see when it starts wearing/breaks
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: willie on December 12, 2020, 12:01:07 am
Quote
I notice the middle bending handle section seems to start bending of its own accord without taking off much wood.

the bendy handle comes in to play more as you get closer to full draw. I like to leave the tips and the handle area a bit stiff for most of the tillering,  and as Mike (bownarras) sez, let the set tell you when to make those stiffer sections flex a little more.

Nice simple NA designs, Nice!
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: GlisGlis on December 12, 2020, 03:47:21 am
 :OK :OK :OK
nice bow and I also like the blunt
is that horn?
Title: Re: Walnut stained "Commonwealth" hickory D bow
Post by: Black Moshannon on December 12, 2020, 05:46:15 am
Quote
I notice the middle bending handle section seems to start bending of its own accord without taking off much wood.

the bendy handle comes in to play more as you get closer to full draw. I like to leave the tips and the handle area a bit stiff for most of the tillering,  and as Mike (bownarras) sez, let the set tell you when to make those stiffer sections flex a little more.

Nice simple NA designs, Nice!

Thanks, i’ll be paying attention to those concepts on elm D bow in the works.

:OK :OK :OK
nice bow and I also like the blunt
is that horn?

Thanks, it’s an antler blunt, thats what I use for all my blunts..stuff is really tough and heavy too, to match my broadhead weight.