Hi Folks. Been working on this one for a while on and off this winter. Ill post the pictures in the post below and keep this one for the words in case you want to skip over. Stave came from some of the nicest hickory I may ever come across. Friday the 13th of March 2020. Same day the state shut down for covid. So I call those staves my Friday the 13th stash. A local tree cutter dropped it off at the firewood processor the day he cut it. After a few days working on things by myself, and with the schools all shut down I enlisted the help of my boys because I was running out of steam being a farm hand with the growing season soon coming they needed that special father son bonding experience. They were great and I enjoyed their help in more ways than one.
When the stave allows my favorite style to build is eastern woodland type bows with scalloped bows on the top of the list. This one was pretty good so figured I try a double scallop. I heat treat with a heat gun on a form and stop when I get a dark enough color. This piece of wood took more heat than any piece of wood I have done before. An average piece of locust takes about 5 min per 6 inches, while hickory is usually around 14 min for 6 inches, this piece took 18 min. So it was over an hour a limb! There is some dark streaks about 1/4" below the back from some damage, a dead knot or wound near but not in the piece of wood. Not the first time I came across this and it doesn't seem to affect things. Slight twist but not enough to worry about and slight sideways bow to the whole piece, so that helps put the arrow a little closer to the side. Doubt you can see that in the pictures. Also a small snake at the top of the top limb that maybe I should have handled a bit different. I thought it would look cool but looks more like I screwed it up. lol
Sometimes I like to keep things plain but dont have no problems getting fancy when given the oppertunity. Maybe the next one like this I make ill try some modern paints but for now Ill stick with keeping things as natural/primitive as fits my thoughts. Bloodwood, walnut hulls, rock powder and copper chelate(ok not primitive but very water soluble). While the handle has some silk thread accents around some milkweed cordage I spent several hours twisting up to get the 10 ft I needed. That in it self held this whole project up a few weeks because I didnt feel like taking the time to make the cordage.
Bow is 60" ntn and 51 lbs @ 27". Put a little reflex in the outer limbs and please it held. Good cast and a fun bow to shoot. Overall pretty happy with how it turned out. Pics seem to show the colors a bit funky in some of them. I'll have to work on that in the future. Maybe taking the pics in a wooded area was not the best choice but didnt think it correct to have a cider block or steel siding backgroud was right. Thanks for your time.
Mike
