Recurve challenge.

[bjrogg]

I have been following along with the recurve challenges. I had one of my own going on at the same time. I had several requests for a build along on the leatherwall bowsite.

I picked out a not so friendly stave to work on knowing I would probably use every trick in my book to get everything to line up.

Here’s stave with ring chased and reduced to near bow dimensions.

Snaky and a nasty dogleg out of the handle

Bjrogg

[bjrogg]

First I steam in my recurves on my Half caul. I like this system. I do both limbs one at a time. I can use this caul for all lengths of bows. I put my recurves in and also do a little tweaking to help line up tips with handle. I know I won’t get everything but I will get a little closer.

Bjrogg

Gotta eat breakfast now be right back.

[bjrogg]

Next I steam my second tip. I use the same half caul when I pull it out of the steam.
Bjrogg

[bjrogg]

My tips are shaped now but I still have that dogleg out of the handle.

I have another half caul. This one is the center section of bow. I made it for straight limb bows but I found it useful for alignment of my static recurve bows to. It also has a slight reflex. One inch over the limb.

I place the caul in my vice offset so I can really clamp my handle down good. Then I work my way down each limb with heat gun clamping as I go.

Bjrogg

[bjrogg]

Here’s a view from above.

Bjrogg

[bjrogg]

Starting to look better.
Bjrogg

[bjrogg]

I sight down the limbs trying to line up the tips with the handle. I narrow up the tips a little removing wood from the edge that doesn’t line up as well.

Looking pretty nice

Bjrogg

[HH~]

Now that's cooked. Blacked Osage-fish with Cayenne. Lookin good BJ
HH~

[bjrogg]

Then I rough out some overlays from some water buffalo horn that PA Steve gifted me.
Bjrogg

Yup this one was kinda thick and needed a quite a bit of heat to correct that dogleg. The black charred stuff will come off in the tillering phase

[bjrogg]

Then I glued on my overlays and let it set for a few days to re acclimate.
The. I rough shape my tip Overlays.
Bjrogg

[bjrogg]

Here’s the unbraced profile I started tillering with . It’s not extreme but I think I will be lucky to keep it with this stave.
Bjrogg

[bjrogg]

I tillered it out to 55@27”

Here’s braced profile.

Bjrogg

[bjrogg]

Here’s full draw.

Bjrogg

[HH~]

That tip bend is about what 45 BJ?

Shawn~

[bjrogg]

This is what in braced profile looks like after shooting for several days. Took a little set mid limb, but I’m pretty happy with how she turned out. Really thumps a arrow nice.

Bjrogg

PS  I’m thinking something like that Shawn. I had a sharper longer tip before, but I really like this one better for my draw.