Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Robert Pougnier on January 25, 2026, 07:30:12 pm
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A few years ago I harvested an unusually straight and knot free apple log from a tree we were removing at a field edge at the farm. I've read about using apple and other fruit trees for bows and heard that apple is good in compression. But I have not really seen any photos of an apple self bow so I had a bit of ambivalence.
The stave I was able to get from it only has a couple knots and mild propeller twist on one limb, nothing worth correcting. I had not felt comfortable approaching it until a couple weeks ago, when I made the decision I would build it with a rawhide backing for an extra margin of safety.
I kept the limbs on the longer and wider side and the belly very flat.
Specs are: 54# at 27 inches. Length is 69 1/4" total, 68 1/2" ntn. 27.3 oz mass (including backing, handle wrap and string)
Limbs are symmetric: 1 7/8" wide at the fades tapered mildly to midlimb at 1 5/8". I tapered the outer limb fairly even down to 3/8" nocks. 8 inch stiff handle.
I kept the outer third of the limb fairly stiff. The top limb, seen at right, has the mild propeller twist so it appears stiffer.
The backing is very thin, maybe 0.2-0.3 mm deer hide, glued on with tb3 wood glue. It was added after bringing the bow to 45# at 22" on the tillering tree.
String is 16 strand b55 dacron with muskrat silencers. Tips are overlayed with horn. Arrow shelf is built up leather and pass is soft velcro.
Finish is shellac tinted with burnt sienna and red ochre for the rawhide, clear shellac on the belly. And spirit varnish and paste wax once it cured.
I originally was going to heat treat the limbs but they took very little set during tillering and since this bow is new territory I tried to be a little conservative.
Total set is 1 inch after shooting and unstringing, down to 1/4" an hour later. It's a fast shooter for sure and very stable. There is not any real hand shock even though the outer limbs are not bending.
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+pics
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++Pics
Thanks for looking!
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Handle detail and signature
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First off, thays a fantastic job on an unusual wood. I ran your dimensions through my calculator and without knowing the exact specific gravity of the wood I went for .71 ( the average ) and came up with .48 inches of set if the wood is air dried. Apple can actually approach osage in density or be down closer to hickory so it has a wide swing. At the average of .71 your bow should take .48 inches of set. Considering you have 1 inch and assuming your tiller is perfect and the wood is dry, the density is likely .63. Do you have any off cuts of that wood to test?
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Thanks Sleek! I was pretty apprehensive at first but it's turned out to be nice.
That's really cool that you can run those numbers. I'm sure I have a piece somewhere, I definitely trimmed it. I'll find it in the morning and see if I can cut out a one inch block and get the SG for you.
I can promise the tiller is not perfect so I'm sure I did not max out it's potential. It did surprise me in that it felt similar to some hard maple under the scraper. It dents a bit easier than expected. But the wood sure is pretty.
But I'll see if I can get find a chunk tomorrow, I'd love to know.
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Yes very nicely done. Nice bend.
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Nice job, beautiful bow. :)
Pappy
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That turned out very nice. For working with wood that has very limited information out there, and no personal past experience with, you did a great job finding a bow in it. Great looking bend.
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Very nice apple wood bow, Robert. :OK
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This is a very nice bow! I have a few apple staves, and making an apple bow is on my to-do list. This bow reminds me of the Simson apple bow, Tutti Frutti: https://primitive-bows.com/86-apple-flatbow-tutti-frutti-7028-no-86/
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Thank you everyone!
I like the tutti frutti bow, and really like the cherry bark handle. Thanks for sharing I haven't seen other apple bow photos until now, that one has some nice character.
I found the only cutoff I could get from the stave. It won't make a cubic inch, it's 1x1 3/8"x5/8". Can I still get a SG number using this little piece?
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Yes I can use any dimension, just make the measurements accurate How many grains does it weigh?
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I was able to do the math. I came up with about .75SG Set might be closer to 3/4 inch than a actual full inch but in either case I can always try better next time!
Here are the numbers and you can let me know if you come out with something different. I'll give you the volume found by measuring all twelve side in mm.
V=11.46cm (cubed)
MC: it's been stored at 65 degrees f and 40% RH. So it should be around 7.5%
Weight in grains is 146.5gn
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Nice work Robert. Can you give us some more details about the handle design? It looks like either the top fade is a little longer, or the arrow pass is offset, to leave more length than the usual 4" standard handle. Whatever you did it seems like a good approach for a wide limbed bow and gives you a better sight picture.
Apple is a lovely wood, quite hard, and dense. Good to work, with a sweet scent.
I have only really seen flatbows made from apple, though much of the literature written, when English designs were prominent mention apple as a good bow wood.
So maybe a narrow design is also suitable.
I have a bunch of crab apple billets, that I cut during covid, that I haven't tried yet. You are inspiring me to dig them out and have a go.
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Thanks Hamish!
I think it would have taken a narrower design but I intentionally overbuilt it since it was my first experience with it.
The handle is just 4 inches long and the fades are two inches each. I put the arrow shelf just 3/4 of an inch above the bow center so the handle wrap is halfway down the lower limb fades. I have been rounding the fades quite a bit too. I don't often build shelves but am trying to become a more consistent shooter.
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Very nice!
Did you induce some reflex before starting?
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Thanks MW! I did not. The only thing I knew about apple before starting was it's estimated SG along with reports that it was good in compression and prone to dramatic tension failures. So I did not want to make the back do any extra work and added the rawhide for an extra margin.
If I had a few more staves I would try again with narrower limbs, maybe 1 5/8" and a slight heat treat into 1" of reflex.
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A nice apple bow Robert. It immediately brought back memories of Simson’s bows.
I have a wild apple tree I have been looking at for a while now. I’m going to need a little help trimming it but I can definitely see a couple good staves in there.
Bjrogg
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I actually see a large apple branch with a natural and quite even reflex right here in front of my livingroom window... 8)
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Maybe those are some good candidates?
I definitely think it's worth setting any likely staves or billets aside and making some bows from them. There are so many apple and crabapple hybrids there's got to be a good range of density and design possibilities! The wood was really fine grained and pleasant to work. And well, its' apple and I love apples! :NN
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Apple a day
Keeps the doctor away
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I may have some apple staves coming my way. Is Apple just not good in tension? If so would bamboo on the back be to much tension? Maybe gemsbok horn on the back? What is the density on Apple wood?
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That's a great looking bow. I have always wanted to try crab apple wood--we have a lot of it around here. I wonder how it would be sinew backed.