Haida Gwaii style bow with belly ridge (HHB high quality stave)

[Philipp A]

Hi All,

Finally I had a chance to make some bows again. My latest project was a Haida Gwaii style bow with belly ridge modelled after the bows found in the Canadian Museum of History's Haida Gwaii Exhibit (highly recommended to visit). I left it unpainted since it is such beautiful wood (HHB from my own bush seasoned for 1 year). To view the pictures please click on the Google Photo Album link below (please let me know if you have any difficulty viewing the pictures):

https://photos.app.goo.gl/UiRDggf8vBqqoxXp1

This was a difficult bow to build and I started with the belly ridge early when making the bow since I did not know what to expect and I wanted to have enough wood so I could correct any mistakes. So it took me almost a month to make (I worked most days at least a couple of hours on it).

The only tools I have used (after roughing out the shape on the band saw) was a hoof rasp and a modified paint scraper that I have filed and sharpened to the shape of the belly ridge and double concave sides I wanted to make. It took me a while to realize from the Museum pictures that the bows actually had this belly ridge and I have always wanted to replicate it since that time.

Thank you Simon for your advice on the tillering of the bow and your overall feedback, it is much appreciated!

The bow shoots amazingly straight and the belly ridge seems to add some stiffness to the bow. I am shooting it "Comanche style with my thumb up, it fits naturally along the belly ridge and is most comfortable to shoot that way. I am working my way to fully draw the bow and at this time I have drawn it to ~ 23". My natural draw length is not much longer (around 24-25") and I am close to maxing out my maximum draw weight of ~70#. The bow has very little hand shock and is comfortable to shoot.

Here are the measurements:

1) 67' n/n
2) 55# @ 21", 65# @ 23"
3) Width at nocks: 5/8"
4) Width at widest point: ~1 5/8"
5) Width at handle: 1 3/16"
6) Thickness: 1/2" (except tips and handle, measured outside, does not account for concave portions in belly)
7) Thickness tips: 5/8"
Thickness handle centre: 7/8"
7) Weight: 616 grams (21.73 oz)
Average speed at 23" draw length measured with Chrony: 145 fps (except that number to go up quite a bit as I am working my way to fully draw the bow. Max speed was 151 fps measured at ~23")
9) String material: brown FF
10) String silencers: grey fox tail
11) Set after 24 hours rest: 3/4" (highest spot)

By the way I have woven in additional string material in the flemish loops to soften the impact on the nocks, thats why it might look a bit odd.

I would be grateful for any feedback you all might have and I am looking forward to your reviews.

Cheers,

Phil

[Philipp A]

I forgot to mention that the first pics where I draw the bow was when the bow was still drawing 10# heavier at 21" and the last pics with drawn bow is with the bow finished.

PS: sorry for the mix up with the symbols finding their way into my numbered list, I should have previewed the post.

[DC]

I like it. Nice job. Any insights as to what the ridge does?

[upstatenybowyer]

That's a really nice bend you got there.  Like DC I'm curious about the function of the belly ridge.

[Philipp A]

Thanks guys for your reply and compliments. As to the function of the belly ridge I can only speculate. When you look at the pictures you will see two of the original bows from the Museum I have modelled my bow after. All 3 of those bows have the belly ridge. From my comparison with my other pyramid bows, this bow is a bit stiffer and it might give it some torsional support based on the shape. The Museum bows could also be ceremonial bows since they have other examples of cruder Haida Gwaii bows in their collection that have no decoration and are not nearly as nicely finished.

All I know it shoots very straight and I have less scatter in the target than with my other bows. It could have something to do with the way I grip the bow with the thumb up lodged against the belly ridge.

If anyone has seen this style of bow before other than the Museum bows I am showing in my pictures and has other ideas as to its function I would be very interested to hear.

Cheers,

Phil

[Philipp A]

I thought I add a few pictures in the post since not all folks like to click links. For high resolution pics please click the link in the original post

[simson]

Well, I have seen the bow before posting and asked Philipp to show it here. I think he has done great work on a classy stave.

@ Philipp: Forgot to ask, the limb halves (left and right the ridge) do they have a "roof" profile or are they plan?

My thinking about the ridge: The Haida bows are a lot shorter and the ridge give stability to not torque. Also it adds strength with little mass added.

[Philipp A]

Thanks Simon for your support and assistance when I was making the bow and your compliment, it means a lot to me. In regards to your question on the profile, I thought a picture is worth a thousand words. I am including the front view of the tool I have used which results besides the ridge in a double concave profile.

This is the reason why it took so long for me to finish the bow. I started using the scraper early (even before tillering) so that I would have enough material left in case I screw up.

Cheers,

Phil

[Marc St Louis]

I've seen those bows and I don't recall seeing any ridges but it was pretty dark in there at the time.  I might be going back there in the next couple days so I'll have a closer look

Nice bow by the way

[Philipp A]

Hi Marc,

Thanks for the compliment it is much appreciated!

I am including a close up pic I took from the side of the museum exhibit. As you said it is pretty dark and hard to see and there is some glare from the window, but you can clearly see the belly ridge on the bow on the last bow to the right. On the other two it is less visible. This is the reason why it took me some time to figure this out. At first i thought it was a painted line and then I noticed the belly ridge which is very clearly visible especially from the transition of the black paint in the handle to the red paint of the limb.

Cheers,

Philipp

[Bryce]

Why are you short drawing that thing? You have more than enough length on that bow. Pull that sucker back!

[Philipp A]

Hi Marc,

Here is another pic from the Museum where I have used the flash on my camera. Again you can see the belly ridge especially on the bow to the very right.

[Philipp A]

@ Bryce: I am slowly working my way towards the full draw length with this bow. This is a stiff bow to pull (65# @ 23"). I naturally don't have a very long draw length and max out at 24-25" and have not pulled much more than a 70# bow. I will keep you posted as to my progress....

[willie]

I think similar ridges are used on bows from further up the pacific coast. Sinew cable is also used in many bows from further north. There are some primo woods available on Haida Gwaii that are not native further north, and how much wood was traded up and down the coast is an interesting question. Perhaps design infuences were share also? Some wood identifications made in museum collections may be just guesses, so it is hard to know if certain design features go hand in hand with described species. Do you recall what the museum bows were reportedly made from?

Perhaps the ridge serves as some sort of chrysal indicator during tillering or weather changes?

[Philipp A]

@willie: I am including a picture of the label of the bows exhibited from the Museum. The bow to the very right with the most prominent belly ridge and concave sides is from a different collector and labeled No 26, the one in the middle is No 27 and the one on the very left No 28. The two bows in the middle and the left look like they don't have much of a concave section to the left and right of the belly ridge but look more like a roof shape.

They are all bows made from yew.