The "You've Got to be Kidding" Birdseye Crabapple Bow

[Rich Saffold]

J.D. I have pondered using abalone for a tip overlay like you did. Did you do anything original when gluing it, and has it held up like you expected it would considering what the bow tips go through?

Rich-

[duffontap]

tproof, I knew what you meant.      Thanks again.

Steve, Thanks.  I like character bows but I don't want to build more than a couple a year.  I like how Chet Stevenson would build tons of bows out of flawless staves and a couple character bows out of crazy character staves. 

Little John, Thank you very much--you're too kind.  I would by lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous coming to full draw while shooting this bow.  It's not that I'm afraid of getting hurt.  I just can't imagine how tragic it would be if all that work exploded into sawdust.   

Manny--the inspiration goes both ways. 

Rich, I think Abalone would be vulnerable to mechanical breakage if it weren't well supported against a flat surface.  When you get a good piece though, it's extremely hard and tough.  It's totally up to the FF strings I put on my bows and the looks can't be beat. 

       J. D. Duff

[koan]

J.D. , what exactly is Abalone? Looks like the inside of a mussel shell....Brian

[mullet]

     JD ,Like everybody else,I keep going back to that gorgeous bow. But I have to ask, Are you going to hunt with it till she Blows ?, or hang it, because it is a work of art.

[Pat B]

A beautiful bow like that ain't made to hang. Whoever would should be! She deserves to prove herself on the field of battle(hunting).
   Josh, I was standing in a cold rain(taking the dogs for a walk) today and looking at a 3" crabapple along my driveway. A good straight section with good length but plenty of side branches. If the grain  is as straight as it looks, I'll collect it soon.     Pat

[duffontap]

Koan,  It's the common source for 'mother of pearl.'  Mussels have the same thing but it's not as thick. 

Mullet and Pat,  If you read all my posts on this thread you'll get a feeling for some of my thoughts on character bows.  I think it is naive and even dishonest to claim (as many have) that character does not affect the longevity or shooting qualities of a bow.  As you both know well, knots will almost always weaken a stave and snakes and dips require more massive limbs (the shortest distance between two points is a straight line) and place more strain on the limbs by forcing them to twist through the draw.  What's more, character bows are harder to tiller right because of the visual distraction and the need to compensate for weak spots in the limbs. 

I've said before that this bow represents the very best work that I am capable of.  Crabapple is amazingly strong which made an unlikely stave a candidate for a special character bow.  I built it to prove some things to myself and for any of my friends here who would take an interest.  You will not hear me say that this bow would stand up to decades of hard hunting--I have bows that will so I don't feel the need to test it.  This for me is a special bow for a number of reasons and I didn't build it with the intention of subjecting it to the day-in-day-out stresses of hunting.  I may try to take a coyote with it or take it small game hunting now and then, but I have enjoyed it plenty just having it hanging beside my kitchen table. 

To sum up--I do not think the goal of primitive archery is to build hunting bows out of the most compromised staves we can find.  For me it stands to reason that the best shooting, longest lasting hunting bows will usually be made from clean staves.  Implicitly stated in the 'you've got to be kidding' and nearly all the praise this bow has received is the understanding that this bow exists against strong odds.  I feel like hunting it hard would be pushing my luck. 

Pat--you say you would hunt it.  Mullet, if it were yours--what would you do?

              J. D. Duff

[Justin Snyder]

I may not take it as an only bow on a long hunt, but if I were hunting a short morning hunt I would use it.  That would complete the journey, right now it is only half traveled.  Justin

[brian melton]

J.D

          Don't feel bad about leaving it on your wall....there are lots of arrowheads I have made that will never see flight, they are special to me because of their hard to find material, or just the fact of how difficult some were to make..(against the odds) Show your bow at meets and enjoy it, as staves of that character don't come every day!!!!  Thats my opinion....


Brian

[mullet]

           JD,Personally if were mine I'd hunt with it. I have a different philosophy when it comes to sticks and stones. I've blasted some beautiful points into trees shooting at game and always take extra bows on hunting trips expecting one might give up the ghost. If a pretty one broke, I'd probally glue it back together and it would be a wall hanger. If it broke in a thousand pieces ,it probally wasn't meant to be a bow anyway. I'd just make another one. There is always camera's for memories. But, that's just the way I look at them.

[Badger]

     I kind of see it like Justin, be nice to give it a go but maybe not on a $4,000 elk hunt LOL. Steve

[medicinewheel]

for sure downloaded these pics!
frank

[GregB]

Just got around to viewing your bow the first time this morning when trying to decide which bow to vote for...I've decided!

That has to be one of the most beautiful character bows I've seen! If I had made your bow and had a trophy room displaying my accomplishments, I would remove all from the walls and only display that bow. You'll be hard challenged to ever top this bow...but we'd all like to see you try.

[napper]

JD thats the best one I have seen in a long time a real work of art that has a reason for being. Would still like to get together some time. Again very nice bow Tom

[Dane]

JD, I just got back from LA, so I am still catching up here.

I was pleased to see you posting, and thought you were gone forever.

What a beautiful job! But you know what....knowing what you are capable, I kind of think "yup, another JD Duff bow."

Have a wonderful new year. Sounds like you will.

Dane

[duffontap]

Justin,  I tillered it to a higher weight and my draw length so I could hunt with it.  I don't consider it a novelty toy, I just want to be honest about the fact that I think lots of character will cost you something.  I'll hunt something with it. 

Thanks Brian!

Mullet, you make a good point.  If all it's going to do is hang on a wall, it could do that glued back together after it has blown up. 

Badger, I think you guys are right.  Although--you have a lot more bows that I do! Like, 5,000 more.

Medicinewheel, Thanks!

GregB, Good to hear from you Greg.  Congratulations on your deer!  Taking it with that beautiful bow must have made that very special.

Napper, thanks for your kind words.  Where are you at--Vancouver? 

Dane, You've always been an encouragement.  I got some time off work so I'm doing a lot of catching up.  There are a lot of amazing bows here.  No place like PA on the web.

          J. D.