Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Weylin on March 30, 2017, 07:41:27 pm
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This bow is based on the Hedeby bow found in an archaeological site in Germany. The distinctive features are the long, flared, deflexed tips with a single side nock. Otherwise it is a typical longbow design, slightly wider and flatter than an English longbow. There was an article in the last PA that featured a similar bow. This was a funky stave that required some taming. It had over 6 inches of reflex, mostly in the handle area and lots of dips and wiggles. I finally reigned it in but it still has plenty of character left over. I finished it with natural beeswax instead of my usual tru oil. I really liked the process and result. I may do more of that in the future. This bow is going on a historical trek with it's new owner.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2860/32902583914_333ffa2d01_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/S8ukTy) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2862/33616528321_82517d33e8_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TdzuFT) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3713/33704992846_eabd81ee4b_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TmoU7j) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3770/33704985046_77a4292a53_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TmoRMQ) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2897/33704978876_13a26172a5_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TmoPXs) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3845/33589273422_8dc28a5a84_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TbaNKQ) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2882/33616500001_ceef646c77_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TdzmgB) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3951/33589257242_f2fb88eed0_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TbaHWS) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2887/33616510091_a96167ed71_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Tdzpgz) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2839/33360870980_df0e6b2c1a_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/SPZbEG) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2825/32902585774_ebc8fa7366_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/S8umrC) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2869/32902581894_8f87740ea8_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/S8ukhJ) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2884/33589309402_fe1bfe55be_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TbaZsb) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3937/33589307742_75209472bb_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TbaYXy) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2814/33589305972_b070be5bc0_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TbaYr3) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3851/33589304242_70644a3ce9_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/TbaXVd) (https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3759/32948231833_1d23e74007_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/ScwiqD)
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Great job.
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Very nice !! Nice character !
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That's looks awesome! I love wiggly yew. Cheers- Brendan
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Wow, now that's some beautiful grain, and great results with the beeswax finish
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Very nice looking bow.
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I like that! How long is it, it looks long.
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Very nice bow
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Cool. You and goat should get together and write a book! Beautiful work. :OK
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Very nice replicated bow.
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Cool bow Weylin
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That is really cool, thanks for letting us look. Interesting that I just watched a show on a Viking sword last night, the Ulfberht.
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WOW - I really like that ! Nice job :BB - Bob.
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I was surprised with the one I made that the extra limb beyond the nocks didn't seem to adversely effect the bow too much.
One would expect it to be a bit hand shocky, but it seemed fine.
How do you find yours?
Del
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I'll say it again, Another great bow.
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I like the plow horse design. Really nice and functional.
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Lovely replica :)
The real question is - have you used the bracing handles as bracing handles?
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Awesome dude!
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Good looking bow, nice replica!
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Crazy cool
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Outstanding.
Did you use pure beeswax or did you mix it with some solvent like turpentine?
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Thanks, guys! You're a real encouraging bunch. I added a diagram of the original bow in the first post as a reference.
Upstatenybowyer, That's all I need is another project. I'll leave that to Ryan. ;)
Del, I have a little thump in the hand with my lighter arrows but when I shot a heavier arrow it was fine. It's not a world record holder for speed but it shoots just fine. How long was yours, Del? From all that I read, I wasn't too surprised with any of that. The original was estimated to be well over 100# draw weight. That changes things, for one, a little extra wood on the tips probably doesn't make a lick of difference at that weight.
WillS, not sure what you mean by bracing handles. Is that what they suspected the fat tips were for? If so, they did come in handy during the early stages of bracing when it was still a beast. I couldn't handle it doing push/pull and the tips were too fat for my stringer. I had to resort to the step through method and it was handy to grab those tips.
Strichev, I used pure beeswax. I softened up a hunk with heat, and rubbed it on a limb. Then I heated up a small section with the heat gun until it was soaking in. Then I buffed it vigorously with cheese cloth while it was still hot and melted. I worked my way down the bow doing that. I let it cool and repeated the process but didn't add any more wax. It had some excess from the first time. After it was cool I buffed it with the cheese cloth again.
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A very credible reproduction and great craftsmanship!
Hey, just for whenever...., if you cut the beeswax 20% with lard or some oil like coconut, it will become sticky, but soften easily enough to be wiped on. If you wipe a coat on a bow and leave it in a hot car or over the woodstove, the wood drinks it in over several hours. If I do this three times the finish is incredible. No real advantage over what you are doing, except less babysitting while you heat it, but it works so well...
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Weylin, yep they're bracing handles! They're on a few other Scandinavian and Irish Viking bows.
You normally use them with the "knee in the handle" method. You lean the bow away from you, plant your knee smack in the middle and drop your whole weight onto the bow. You grab the top handle and pull it towards you.
Without the bracing handles, this method is brilliant for bows up to about 130lb, but with those lovely big handles there's no limit other than your own body weight.
They help when using the step-through method as well, but it's the knee method where they really shine.
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Thanks, Springbuck. That's a good tip. I considered some of the mixtures with the beeswax. I might try that next time.
That's pretty cool info, Will. Makes sense. That knee in the handle method sounds like a high probability of a trip to the hospital if I tried to do it. I'll have to look up a youtube video of someone doing that.
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Here ya go :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LocFlPi6L08
3:00 into the video.
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As you can see... don't do it on a slippy floor ::)
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Excellent work Weylin, thats a cool bow.
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very nice, you did a good job with that bow.
I had a guy ask me about a Hedeby bow a few months ago. I told him Yew seemed to be the historical wood of choice for these bows
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Del, I have a little thump in the hand with my lighter arrows but when I shot a heavier arrow it was fine. It's not a world record holder for speed but it shoots just fine. How long was yours, Del? From all that I read, I wasn't too surprised with any of that. The original was estimated to be well over 100# draw weight. That changes things, for one, a little extra wood on the tips probably doesn't make a lick of difference at that weight.
I think mine was 72" it was done for a lady, here's a post about it:-
http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/hedeby-bow-performance.html (http://bowyersdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/hedeby-bow-performance.html)
Del
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I've just found out that I'm making the arrows for the customer of this bow. Really looking forward to seeing them with this beautiful replica!
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Haha, small world. Looking forward to the pictures as well.
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Awesome bow, I really need to make one in this style
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These are the arrows that I made for Chris, the owner of this beautiful bow. They are Nydam replicas - same period, slightly different location.
Full build log on the Arrows section, but hopefully Weylin doesn't mind me posting a couple of pics of the finished arrows on this thread too! It was a real pleasure to make these, especially knowing just how gorgeous the bow they're being matched to is!
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4242/34716693993_43563fd72f_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4278/34716693823_68a5579651_b.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4290/35139529550_e71867d251_z.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4231/35526109435_2888c5cbab_z.jpg)
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4289/35358956342_038f5ceed6_z.jpg)
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oh wow, thank you for posting your amazing arrows! ... and bringing back Weylin's bow - I missed it!
The new owner is a lucky guy, possessing masterpieces of two master bowyers and fletchers.
Can't find words, bow and arrows are replicas as its best.
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Those arrows really complete the set.Something to cherish for sure.
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Terrific set of bow and arrows (A)
they make me ear the sound of the sea and the screams of battles
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I agree with everyone above, another great one.
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Really nice arrows! This makes an amazing set with the bow!