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Winter project - Yew Recurve bow

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Gordon:
I like to use Tru-Oil for finishing my bows.  It’s waterproof, relatively inexpensive, easy to apply, rubs out nicely and, importantly, is easy to repair.  I apply using the tip of my finger.  It is best to put on sparingly in order to prevent runs.  I apply 9 coats and let dry at least 4 hours between applications. I lightly sand the 3rd and 6th coat with 400 grit sand paper to remove embedded dust and other imperfections in the finish. It’s important to apply only light pressure when sanding or you risk sanding through to bare wood.  After the last coat is applied, I let the finish stand for several days to fully cure.



To complete the finish job, I will go over the finish with successively finer and finer abrasives.  I start by sanding the finish with water and wet/dry 400-grit sandpaper to create a smooth and uniform surface. Then I rub that out with medium grit synthetic steel wood followed by fine grit.  The final step is to rub the finish out with crushed pumice stone. I mix the pumice with vegetable oil and then apply to the finish with a clean and soft cotton rag. I start with medium grit followed by fine grit. When I am done the finish is satin smooth and completely free of imperfections.

Gordon:
The next step is applying the arrow pass.  I mark the length of the arrow pass on a piece of suitable leather and then use a plate and Exacto knife to cut it out.  This method yields an arrow pass with nicely curved sides. I stain the pass with leather dye and affix it to the bow with a thick super-glue.

Gordon:
The final step is to fashion a leather handle. I’m not going to describe that in this build-a-long, but you can contact me if you are interested in learning how to do a John Strunk style handle.

And here is a picture of the final product.



I've created another new thread with the bow’s vital statistics, more pictures and, of course, the hero shot:

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,32546.0.html

Thank you all so much for following my build-a-long. You comments, insights, questions, and compliments have been a wonderful addition to this journey. I can't thank you enough.

Gordon

bluegill68:
Gordon,

Thanks for taking the time to post the build, there is almost as much work in posting as there is in building the bow.

Sean

Prarie Bowyer:
Gordon,

This bow is awesome! I am interested in this handle grip type. 

Thanks,
Scott

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