Pete Clayton of Whitehouse, Texas Wins Self Bow of the Month For May
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,19715.0.html
Quite the Effort, I Would Say:
The story on this bow began a year ago,when I received an order to build a long flatbow with an extra long drawlenght.I had one possible osage stave that was long enough,but having a bad spot in a whoop-d-doo,it cracked while nearing completion of tiller.My next option was a elm stave I had just cured,and ,after tillering the stave,I was stretching it's new string when the string cut into the nock and traveled several inches down the limb,my fault.I cut the ends off this stave and threw it in my stave pile.(I'll come back to this stave in a moment).I then ordered an osage stave,tillered it,but it did'nt have the best density,and set beyond what I call acceptable.Next,I tillered out a hickory stave I had,and it made a decent bow,which was the last bow I have posted,back some months ago.Since then I have built several "mirror images" of that bow,and thus,did'nt do any posting. Now,back to the elm stave.I pulled it out of the pile a few months ago and boiled in some recurves,but,after removing from the form,I found a bad crack in the bend on the lower limb.Back to the stave pile.A couple of weeks ago,I thought about that stave,and decided to cut back the tips,glue the crack,and try a 60" flip-tip.I tillered it out and finished it just as simply as possible.It's not much to look at,and sure nothing to try to sell,but man does it shoot.It's from the same small tree that the '09 BOY came from.
Stats; 60'' tip to tip,58 1/2'' nock to nock,50#@26'' Slippery elm ,1 1/4'' at fades,out to mid limb,then tapering to 3/8'',mahogany stain,overlays,cane grip. On the tip overlay pic,you can see what remains of the crack that occurred while bending.
PA Members Know a Good Bow When They See One!
That's a beautiful bow Pete! Man does that thing have some nice curves! - Josh
Well done, Pete. The bow and tiller look great. Perseverance is what it takes. You are so right. You gotta want or it ain't happening. - Jawge
Sweet lookin' bow. Some of those staves just don't know what's good for 'em, you gotta beat 'em into submission. Nice to see you beat that sucker in the end- Del the Cat
WOW great looking bow love elm as a bow wood,looks like you toasted the belly for great preformance.-Hammertime.
That's what I call a good bow. I've seen your slippery elm of 09 and hoped to see more of your work. Thumbs up! -Steilpassfanger
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