Main Discussion Area > Bows
First Selfbow - Osage Orange Bendy Handle
CypressCreekKnives:
--- Quote from: Pat B on August 31, 2025, 01:05:51 pm ---CCK, many years ago when I was first starting to build wood bows someone gave me 3 Osage staves. They should have been firewood but I figured that osage was so rare to me that I would try to see what I could do with them. I worked on these staves all winter. Between the three they had about every malady an osage stave could have. I worked slowly, thoughtfully and when I got frustrated I put them aside and walked away. By spring I had made 5 bows from these three staves. They all shot but were pretty ugly; crooked, twisted, etc, but they worked like a bow should. I learned more about making wood bows that winter than before or since. There are lessons in every stave if you take the time and interest in looking for them.
--- End quote ---
Sounds like I’ll be breaking out my junky staves and learning an exercise in patience lol!! I’ve got to admit, most of my frustrations come from chasing a ring. I think I need to make a jig that will allow me to add a little backset and take out twists.
Pat B:
If the rings are that thin you might try using your scraper to do it. When you break through a ring circle around it with a pencil mark and stay away from that area til you can blend the rest of the back with it. On thin rings it is difficult to get a clean back but do the best you can then add a rawhide backing. That usually does the trick.
Here is a pic of one of the cauls I use. You can remove lateral bends, twists and up and down bends using a heat gun, a few wood wedges and clamps. I also like to oil the area I heat for corrections. I use cooking oil. I think the oil helps prevent scorching, holds the heat longer and allows the heat to penetrate better. You can always remove any residual oil with a wipe down with alcohol or acetone.
willie:
--- Quote from: Pat B on August 31, 2025, 12:44:33 am ---Willie, it is with the Imgur
--- End quote ---
thanks Pat
not just Imgur. I have added to the photo tutorial rather than side tracking further here
CypressCreekKnives:
--- Quote from: Pat B on August 31, 2025, 06:01:20 pm ---If the rings are that thin you might try using your scraper to do it. When you break through a ring circle around it with a pencil mark and stay away from that area til you can blend the rest of the back with it. On thin rings it is difficult to get a clean back but do the best you can then add a rawhide backing. That usually does the trick.
Here is a pic of one of the cauls I use. You can remove lateral bends, twists and up and down bends using a heat gun, a few wood wedges and clamps. I also like to oil the area I heat for corrections. I use cooking oil. I think the oil helps prevent scorching, holds the heat longer and allows the heat to penetrate better. You can always remove any residual oil with a wipe down with alcohol or acetone.
--- End quote ---
Thanks for the tips! These will definitely help with the next build!
As a side note, I shot my bow over a chronograph and I was getting ~143 fps. I felt like the bow was a bit sluggish, so I thinned out the tips and it is much snappier now. I don't know the arrow speed yet, I'll reshoot tomorrow.
Pat B:
I guess I forgot the pic of the caul...
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version