I am somewhat new to traditional archery and bow making. I made my first self bow two years ago after finding a nice osage log in the woods and becoming fascinated with its hidden potential. Out of that log and a lot of work and learning I ended up with a functional bow, though not pretty or very efficient. After that experience I was hooked and captivated by all-wood traditional bows. During the two years since that first self bow I have experimented with many different native woods and bow making techniques in an attempt to achieve the most functional, aesthetically pleasing, and efficient longbow possible. I was not happy with the hassles of traveling with the one piece bows that I made and I began to plan and dream of making a takedown longbow. The bow you see here is the result of that quest.
The materials for this bow were all locally harvested, except for the buffalo horn and takedown sleeve. The bow is 66" long and pulls right at 50# @ 28". The limbs measure 1 1/4" at the fades and have a continuous taper ending in 3/8" tips. The back of the bow is 1/8" thick and is made from a carefully selected piece of hickory. The belly of the bow is composed of three 1/8" layers of Osage Orange. The laminations were glued together, with an initial 3 1/2" of reflex, using TBIII. The riser is made of black walnut and has an arrow shelf cut in just shy of center. This bow uses four inch nesting steel/brass sleeves for the takedown mechanism. The back of the bow is continuous and uncut in the sleeves so as not to compromise strength at the points of transition from limb to riser. Once together the seams in the sleeves melt into the handle area and become invisible. The handle wrap and strike plate is made from a piece of locally trapped and tanned beaver tail and hand stitched with artificial sinew. I have found beaver tail handle wraps to be extremely durable and the leather has a very unique texture which feels good in the hand and prevents slipping. The tip and riser overlays are made of black buffalo horn. The bow shoots very well and is very steady in the hand.
I am very proud of this bow and happy to have the chance to share it with you. I think that the bow's aesthetics and efficiency combined with the practicality and portability of a takedown make it a beautiful piece. I am very grateful for Primitive Archer and other great writings and online forums which allowed me to learn from others and share ideas and thoughts. Thanks!
Jon Shellenberger
