Bison Horn Composite Bow Adventure

[swamp monkey]

Update from the Bison Horn Bow Adventure:

First Horn Bow: I am crafting a new sinew string.  I was shooting the bow I referenced here on an earlier post (where I sinew backed for the first time).  As I was unstringing it I nicked the loop as it passed over the nock edge.  Yeah, the nock had a sharp edge that needed sanding, but it got me to thinking about the thickness of the string.  So I am making a new one for the bison horn bow that is complete (tassel and all). Remember this is the one I tillered after I glued the horn on.  The bow works fine but it was a long path to get there. 

The second horn bow: I used a piece of Osage for the core that I tillered first and then glued the bison horn on.  One coat of sinew had dried for about two weeks.  Today, I put the second coat of sinew. All told, I think I used about three deer leg tendons on this bow.   I will let that dry for a couple weeks before I try to string it. 

I have not come up with a way to decorate this one, but I am looking forward to studying on it.  Quill work might look nice and that would be a great excuse for me to learn yet another skill.     like I don't have enough skills to tinker with. 

[Thesquirrelslinger]

Are you going to recurve and attach syahs?

[swamp monkey]

I thought about flipping the tips a bit to improve string angle at full draw.  That would have to be done to the wooden core before glue up and I thought about it a little too late.  So for these two it is a no go.  Maybe next time. 

As for Siyahs, I am trying to fashion these bows in the style of Plains tribes.  To my knowledge Plains tribes did not use those.  So I willfully chose not to do those on these bows. 

[swamp monkey]

I reread Jim Hamm's chapter on composite bows and noticed he said he put his in the sun to dry.  SO I placed this recent horn bow in the sun for the past several days.  I have not witnessed a bow take on a reflex thanks to sinew before.  The core was flat.  After gluing the horn on it was flat.
On Monday I saw a 1/4 " of reflex.  As of Tuesday it had an inch of relfex!   Whoa.  I am so putting that other bow out in the sun. 

This is like watching a magic trick.  It is sooooo cool.  I will post a pic later.

[IndianGuy]

SM
This is gonna be a better bow than the first I can already tell!   YOU DA MAN!

Eric

[swamp monkey]

I got busy with other things and put the final bison horn bow aside to dry.  This weekend I have it strung up as Eric (indian guy) suggested.  When I get it strung and shot in I will post more pix. 

Meanwhile, I have posted pix of the bow with fully dry sinew and the reflex. 

Oh boy!

[BowEd]

Thanks for sharing all of your experiences making these sinewed horn bow shorties.A lot of work as I know.That sinew is some amazing stuff ai'nt it?The more you work with it the better you'll get.

[Onebowonder]

Please tell me you ARE bringing this beauty with you to MOJAM!!!???

OneBow

[Newindian]

You are making me really really want to make a horn bow

[danny f]

great build along and great bows, i would love to have a go at this one day.

[uncleduck]

First off, beautiful work on these!

For anyone with some experience with this....how long of a core would you recommend to get to a 27" draw with this design. I have a 55" belly split of osage chased to a ring, only about 3/8" thick 1" wide and thought this might be a good way to use it. I am unsure whether I should leave it the full 55" or cut it down some to make the sinew/horn really work.  Also, would you be willing to share any good sources for horn? You can PM me if you like.

Thanks a lot!

[Thesquirrelslinger]

If I had to guess...
http://www.hideandfur.com/inventory/2208.html
www.hideandfur.com/inventory/2213.html
I think they sell every single part of an animal

[swamp monkey]

First off, beautiful work on these!

For anyone with some experience with this....how long of a core would you recommend to get to a 27" draw with this design. I have a 55" belly split of osage chased to a ring, only about 3/8" thick 1" wide and thought this might be a good way to use it. I am unsure whether I should leave it the full 55" or cut it down some to make the sinew/horn really work.  Also, would you be willing to share any good sources for horn? You can PM me if you like.

Thanks a lot!

uncle duck thanks for the kind words.  I appreciate them.

Concerning bison horn bow length, I think sinew will be more limiting than the horn.  I know Eric (Indian Guy) has made some of these with 5-6 bison horn scales.  Mine uses 4 and is 36 inches long.  Add two more sections and you get just over 50".

However, read up on your sinew backing and you will find that the bow you have is getting to the upper limit for sinew backing, but should work fine.  The additional mass added with  sinew and glue, starts to cut into your performance as the bow gets longer.  That is why most sinew backed bows are short.   Whether or not you should put bison horn on there to fix the split is another matter.  I may not have enough experience to say much.  IMO it wouldn't hurt. 

I noticed I forgot to post pix at full draw.  I got wrapped up in my sinew cable making project and forgot. (posted in primitive skills) I will try to address the lack of pix on this one sometime soon.     So many projects . . . So little time.  I know ya'll know what I mean. 

[soy]

looking forward to it

[Gaur]

I enjoyed your adventure.  Nice looking bows. I have about 15 sets of asian water buffalo horns that I shipped to myself before I left Thailand last month and resettled in MN for the year and they should be arriving in the next month if anyone is interested.  Most are 20"-22" or so per horn.  Matched sets.