Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: ricktrojanowski on April 14, 2009, 10:47:03 pm
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I just finished up this Osage flatbow. It is 52" nock to nock. It came in at 50# @ 26". It is 1 1/4"wide through the handle tapering to 5/8" over the last 9" of the limbs. Unbraced it has a slight amount of reflex left. I heat bent 1 1/2" of reflex into it. I killed some of the bright yellow with some rotten black walnut husk juice. The paint work is done with primitive pigments in an acrylic base. I used a paraffin wax finish to keep it dull and looking more abo. The grip done with Dogbane cordage (I think processsing enough for the grip took me longer than roughing and tillering the bow. ;)). I made a sinew string for it with backstrap sinew (Thanks for the sinew DanaM and the how to Jackcrafty). The bottom limb is really smooth the top limb has a bit more character. It shoots with less hand shock than I imagined it would, and spits out an arrow pretty fast.
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Now I am impressed! very sweet lil bow,with great tiller.Well done and I admire you for all your hard work.
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wow,that is a great shooter...i love the paint job..and the cordage handle...whats the bow string made of..great job...i hope its going deer hunting this year.john
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Good looking bow. Did you get a lott of time making the string? Nice work.
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most excellent
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Rick, fine job! The sinew string is alot of time ,I know. you did great .It makes you appreciate the skill and effort to survive!
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SWEEEEET!!..Waste not want not, and there definately aint no waste on this one!....Brian
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That bow is definitely 9/10 broken. 8) You got every bit of goody out of that piece of wood and did it expertly. ;) The only thing that could improve the design would have been single side nocks but I ain't complaining.
If you are coming to the classic, bring it!
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Sweet I like the way it came out.. Two thumbs up..
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now thats what i call a bow. very well done. i think ill wait another month to post my new hickory bow... :D
Phil
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Very good D, I am getting ready to start a 50 inch D Thanks for the inspiration.Phillip oh and the Color and design is A+
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Nice, a proper primitive bow. I'd be scared when my bows start bending that far. :)
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Beautiful bow,tiller looks nice ,very well done. :)
Pappy
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Thanks for the compliments guys.
Blacktail - the string is sinew from whitetail backstrap sinew.
Pennhawk- the string took a fair bit of time, longer than a B 50 but not as long as messing with plant fiber cordage. The first one I made failed (lousy splice). This one I made sure I overlapped the splices deeper and it worked out. They are a lot of fun to make, and look really good as well.
Pat- I'll be bringing it to TN (hopefully in one piece ;D). I was thinking about side nocks but chickend out. Too many new things to me on this one already.
Limey-Josh- Believe me when I had it to 26" on the tree I was getting ready to run :o
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Been looking forward to seeing this one done Rick, I'm duly impressed and hope ya let me shoot it :)
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Now that bow is a great accomplishment with a lot of work involved! Very nice! I worked a little with dogbane and know it is very time consuming, especially to get enough for a handle, which turned out sweet by the way! Never did a sinew string, looks like it's doing the job it was intended for. Great tiller and artwork on the bow! Very impressive all around! Hope to see it at the Classic! ;)
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That bow is what everybody else said 8) Great work! Joe H
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Excellent all around! I really like the way you tillered it and got all of it bending in unison.
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That's a cool looking very primitive little bow. Looks like the string angles are right at 90 degree's at your draw length and probably starting to stack pretty badly that last inch or so of draw....? The tiller looks spot on and I admire your very "primitive" finnish job on the bow and string, again great job! 8)
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Very cool bow and I really like the art work! Tiller is excellent too! Great job!
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Very Nice, I like it alot!
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Great job. Bow looks great.
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Great lookin piece of work.Very well done.Ron
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Not much i can add that hasn't already been said.......Great bow !!
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Outstanding work! Jawge
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That's an excellent bow!!!All your detail work is wonderful.Like everybody else said;great job. God Bless
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Dana- You're more than welcome to shoot it. I know it will be safe, you have a short draw like me.
Greg B- I'll be bringing it to Pappy's. I figured it would be bad karma not to bring a Osage bow to Pappy's shoot. The sinew string was pretty easy because of the long backstraps I used. You should give it a go. If I can manage it anyone can, and it is much easier and quicker than dogbane or milkweed.
Ryano- It does get pretty hard the last inch or so. It definitely doesn't want to go past 26"
Thankyou to everyone else for the compliments.
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That's a really great little primitive bow! The art work is nice and the tiller and the handle and the sinew string.......it's all nice!
Alan
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dude that one may end up dissappearing out of your truck next time. great job. i cant believe you can draw a 50 inch bow with those orangatan arms ;D
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Short bows always get my attention and this one is a dandy. Looking forward to seeing it again for Self BOM fun.
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Man that is nice Rick. I love the paint job. Obviously it has perfect tiller being that short and drawn that long. You've out done yourself again! :o
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Very nice bow. That is definitely pushing the envelope on draw for length ratios. Great job tiller looks great as dose the paint scheme. Authentic string to boot, Congratulations on a fine bow.
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I missed this one somehow until now. Rick, that's a fine looking bow, love the overall look, tiller, and everything else. Good job!
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Love that bow, I'm fond of the shorties and your painting really makes it stand out.
VB
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Thats a cool bow 8). Im happy to see you went all out and even made a sinew string. very cool.
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dude that one may end up dissappearing out of your truck next time. great job. i cant believe you can draw a 50 inch bow with those orangatan arms ;D
Jamie-
You're just jealous that I can tie my shoes without having to bend over. ;D
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now that was funny ;D
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Yes Rick very coolbow and all that everyone else has already said. I an normally not that big a fan of short bows but this one really is impressive. I really like that every bit of it is working to the max, also really like the primitive cordage handle and string, a serious contender for Bow of the Month. Funny I also made a sinue string with backstrap sinue from Dana and how to from Jackcrafty I recomend it to any one intrested in primitive technology. Kenneth
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Little John- I agree, Patrick's how to is a great piece of info. The best thing about a short bow is that you need that much less string. ;D.
Thanks again for the kind words everyone.
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Wonderful shortie. It's not often one sees short Indian style osage bows.
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Everyone else has said it all. What a beauty, Rick. I hope to see it in person one day, maybe the Woodbury event? How exactly did you make the paint?
BTW, I searched a second time for that old soapstone quarry. Still no luck, but I'm sure it's just out of sight. I'll have to post photos when I get a chance in the anything else section.
Dane
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Dane-
If it holds, I'll be bringing it to the Algonquin shoot. The paint is just some mail order primitive pigments mixed with acrylic matte medium. The real deal is done with hide glue medium. I was too lazy for that. ;). I'd like to see the pics and hear the story of the Quarry Search part 2. Your stories are the best.
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Rick, I look forward to seeing this bow in June. Thanks for the info on the paint. I have some red ochre and some green earth pigment I'm about to use, and you have helped me decide what to do.
I'll get the lost quarry part two up in the next day or so. Alas, I didn't see any ghosts at the haunted school house, but maybe next time I will.
Dane
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Dane
When I mixed it, I used quite a pit of the powder to the base, in order to get a deep color. Then I mixed in a bit of water to thin it out and make it flow better. Not to primitive I know but I liked the way it looked. Just make sure you get the matte base.
I have to get in on the next quarry run, I'm in need of a ghostly schoolhouse interaction.
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ooh, ooh, ooh me too me tooo!
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Rick, thanks. Sounds like a good technique for a good look.
As for the quarry, I'm going to get a good topo map of the area, that will make it a bit easier to locate the quarries (two next to each other, and both very ellusive). I have a new GPS application for my i phone that should hep too.
You, me and Jamie will coordinate a time to meet up and go up there that works for all of us. Pretty countrside, very desolate. I'll post some photos (and videos if I can) after work today in a new thread in Anything Else.
Dane