5 Curve, Cupid bow, ash-sinew-cherrybark

[OldBow]

What a fine bow. Looks like the recurves are working not static.
Great pictures....but I wish you could take your full draw pictures closer up

[a finnish native]

This is one nice bow.
From what I have heard/read the plains indians did use this desingn. not all of them of course but a few tribes. For example the Nez-Perce and the Spokane tribes ahd some bows of this design. The nez-perce had a special bow of this design that was made from the horn of mountainsheep and backed with sinew. But for example the Spokane (soshone is also mentioned in the text) had these types of bows made from wood and backed with sinew. One of these is featured in a paint portrait of a Spokane chief painted by Paul Kane in 1847. The chief was called Tum-se-ne-ho, In english The Man Without Blood.

[Ranger B]

Nice bow...that is some incredible bending. 

[YewArcher]

Thanks for all the kind words guys. She sure is a nice bow.

Finnish. The devil is in the details. They did use bows similar to these espically the nez-perce........except no recurves.

Steve

[a finnish native]

I was talking about gull winged bows WITH recurves. or 5 curve bows if you will.
The recurves on your bow are quite dramatic. so maybe the recurves were not as dramatic, but they were there in some bows.

[YewArcher]

I have not seen one. I certainly would like to but have not. The Nez-perce sheep bows had a very mild reflex at the tips not recurves same with the elk antler bows. That is not to say that none existed its just that I have not seen them or heard of them and there is a whole lot I have not seen yet.

 Are you sure that you are not thinking of a mild reflex and not a recurve?

Steve

[Bowbound]

Very  nice, cherry bark as well. Looks very quick.

[JackCrafty]

Nez Perce horn bow, 97cm (38-1/8") long.  Recurved tips.


[attachment deleted by admin]

[JackCrafty]

Also see link:

---http://books.google.com/books?id=vhITAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA24&lpg=PA24&dq=nez+perce+bow&source=bl&ots=t826jywS95&sig=sj1RweO-tnbfC8uYSmmXwcBxliQ&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result

[YewArcher]

Yes, those are the mild reflex tips I was speaking of. Those are not recurve.

Steve

[a finnish native]

I myself had only heard descriptions of the Nez-Perce bows, so I would not by that picture call them recurved, but at least the portrait of the Spokane cheif painted by paul kane in 1847 features clear recurves in a gull winged bow that would be classified as recurves even today. The cheif is holding a bow of this type in his hand and has another in his quiver that would show more of reflexed tips. I have also read about a Spanish man called Cabeza de Vaca who travelled in the southern plains in the 1530's. He described some bows to be simillar to the turkish bows by profile. This would indicate that some bows had recurves while being gull winged. He also described sinew backed bows and selfbows. Hornbows were also mentioned.

[akila]

Incredibile job.....its amaizing......and u didnt get no frets on that ash wood???gr8 job.

[YewArcher]

Reflexed tips yes.......recurved I cannot be so sure about. First is that I do not beleive that a sheep horn bow would hold a recurve without belly support. Second on tha antler bows......it woyuld have been very very hard for them to recurve the antlers in a way that is a true recurve. A lot of people consider recurves in a lot of ways. We should keep the convesrtasion to the context of recurve style of the bow that I posted and that style I think we can be sure did not exist becuse I do not think ther is any evidence. That is whay I made the remark in the original post.....so that people would not confue this with an authentic design. That is very important to me.

Akila, I have made quite a few ash bows. everything from short sinew backed bws to ELB style to long static recurves. I never have a fret problem with it.

Steve

[a finnish native]

I did not mean that sheephornbows or antlerbows would have had recurves. I thought so at first by reading some descriptions, but after seeing some pictures I would have to say that I would not hold them as recurved bows. But I still do believe that sinew backed wooden bows had recurves while being gull winged. My evidence is in my earlier posts. The Spokane bow was not made from horn, but from wood. So were the bows described by the Sanish man Cabeza de Vaca.
Just trying to say my sight to this matter. nothing else.

[Blacktail]

WOW STEVE.that is one sweet bow.you work is great...i think you should move out to oregon....ohhh i hear a yew tree calling your name...LOL..great job.john