Author Topic: Inuit style Yew bow w/ sinew cable  (Read 13197 times)

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Offline wizardgoat

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Inuit style Yew bow w/ sinew cable
« on: March 29, 2017, 01:17:39 am »
This bow has been in the works since Xmas, finally finished it up recently.
Theres 6 Inuit bows in my local museum, this bow is based off 2 in particular. 
The originals are said to be made from fir or larch, but depending on location, many other woods and materials, including yew were used.
The originals also use whale sinew, which proved to be very tough to find, so I used cow sinew.
I used a very clean branch for the bow, I decrowned it, focusing on making a nice flat back for the cable.
I tillered the bow out to 35# at 25", and figured I'd touch it up after the cable was installed.
The cable was built over many winter nights, about 40-50 hours all in.  Including the bow string, nearly 80', and a bit over 4 oz.
A good amount of the cable is used in the recurve binding though.  I used baleen for the recurve stiffeners. Such a cool material,
works like horn, but has "grain" and smells like the sea when worked.
The cable installation took a few times to get it where I was satisfied, it added 4-5# right out the gates.
I soaked and pre-stretched it, so 2 twists and the weight spiked another 8 or 9 #. I shot the bow for a few days, and tightened it one more turn.
I checked the weight 52-53# at 25". The cable is then binded at the grip.
50.5" ntn, 1" wide at the grip, tapers up to 1 1/4" at the recurve, and back down to 1" at the tips
There is bit of a thud on release, but not nearly as bad as I expected. The levers bend a bit, if they didn't I think it would be much worse.
Its a really fun bow to shoot, it creaks and moans like a hollywood movie bow when drawn.
Photos were taken on the Nanaimo river, was a bit of a bleak day and photos didn't turn out awesome,
so I messed with some filters to hopefully improve them.
Cheers guys thanks for looking






































Offline gfugal

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Re: Inuit style Yew bow w/ sinew cable
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2017, 01:23:08 am »
Impressive build! Soething youbdon't see often
Greg,
No risk, no gain. Expand the mold and try new things.

Offline Carson (CMB)

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Re: Inuit style Yew bow w/ sinew cable
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2017, 01:53:24 am »
What an undertaking! You are truly a wizard.

I have always wondered how much adjustment to draweight could be made with these cable backings. Apparently a lot  :o
"The bow is the old first lyre,
the mono chord, the initial rune of fine art
The humanities grew out from archery as a flower from a seed
No sooner did the soft, sweet note of the bow-string charm the ear of genius than music was born, and from music came poetry and painting and..." Maurice Thompso

Offline penderbender

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Re: Inuit style Yew bow w/ sinew cable
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2017, 02:04:08 am »
That's one cool bow goat. It shows how much time you put into it. Amazing! Cheers- Brendan

Limbit

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Re: Inuit style Yew bow w/ sinew cable
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2017, 02:10:24 am »
Rad. Experiential archeology of the coolest kind. Have you seen the ones they made out of antler? There is a video floating around youtube documenting inuits making this kind of cable-backed antler bow.

Offline willie

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Re: Inuit style Yew bow w/ sinew cable
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2017, 03:18:54 am »
very nice, have not seen anyone  build one in years.

Can you link to pics of the museum bows?  Hopefully there might be some southern eskimo style as well? Some examples have been identified as yew, I believe.
« Last Edit: March 29, 2017, 03:27:53 am by willie »

Offline chamookman

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Re: Inuit style Yew bow w/ sinew cable
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2017, 03:44:08 am »
Wow - Too cool ! Bob
"May the Gods give Us the strength to draw the string to the cheek, the arrow to the barb and loose the flying shaft, so long as life may last." Saxon Pope - 1923.

Offline Pappy

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Re: Inuit style Yew bow w/ sinew cable
« Reply #7 on: March 29, 2017, 04:43:21 am »
Way cool, very nice for sure. :)
 Pappy
Clarksville,Tennessee
TwinOaks Bowhunters
Life is Good

Offline joachimM

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Re: Inuit style Yew bow w/ sinew cable
« Reply #8 on: March 29, 2017, 05:21:16 am »
Has my vote for backed BOM. Awesome piece of work.

Offline Stick Bender

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Re: Inuit style Yew bow w/ sinew cable
« Reply #9 on: March 29, 2017, 05:46:42 am »
Very nice bow always some thing unique from Goat ,nice pics !!
If you fear failure you will never Try !

Offline ---GUTSHOT--->

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Re: Inuit style Yew bow w/ sinew cable
« Reply #10 on: March 29, 2017, 06:04:41 am »
That's some fine craftsmanship right there. Love the braced profile

Offline selfbow joe

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Re: Inuit style Yew bow w/ sinew cable
« Reply #11 on: March 29, 2017, 06:13:37 am »
Very nice work. Looks awesome

Online bjrogg

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Re: Inuit style Yew bow w/ sinew cable
« Reply #12 on: March 29, 2017, 06:41:21 am »
Fantastic Wizard just Fantastic. Even your pictures that "don't turn out" are beautiful. Thanks for building and posting such a beautiful bow.
Bjrogg
A hot cup of coffee and a beautiful sunrise

Offline Del the cat

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Re: Inuit style Yew bow w/ sinew cable
« Reply #13 on: March 29, 2017, 06:43:00 am »
Great job. I love the write up, the detail about working baleen, priceless  :)
Thanks for sharing.
Del
Health warning, these posts may contain traces of nut.

Offline upstatenybowyer

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Re: Inuit style Yew bow w/ sinew cable
« Reply #14 on: March 29, 2017, 07:24:37 am »
Only a wizard could craft such a bow. I'm just wrapping up a month-long unit on the Inuit with my 5th graders. I know they'll get a huge kick out of seeing these pics. Thanks so much for taking the time to do the write up. It's got my vote for BOM as well!
"Even as the archer loves the arrow that flies, so too he loves the bow that remains constant in his hands."

Nigerian Proverb