Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: PeteC on January 03, 2011, 10:05:06 pm

Title: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: PeteC on January 03, 2011, 10:05:06 pm
This is a Slippery elm flatbow.I took these pics a few months back,and forgot about them.Here are the stats;  68" tip to tip,65 3/4" nock to nock. 57#@ 28".  1 5/8" at fades,slightly tapering to mid-limb,then tapering to 3/8" tips. Osage overlays.Black walnut stain. Cane Grip.  Holds 2" of reflex. Shoots hard and very quite.The last pic is immediately after un-bracing. God Bless
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: tattoo dave on January 03, 2011, 10:11:26 pm
Nice work Pete! I dig the cane handle wrap.
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: Parnell on January 03, 2011, 10:13:54 pm
Beautiful as always, Pete.   Looks very well put together.
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: hammertime on January 03, 2011, 10:51:56 pm
Really nice Pete like the profile and handle wrap-That handle area almost looks like two different kinds of wood very cool-nice work-Hammertime
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: Keenan on January 03, 2011, 11:51:33 pm
Excellent work as always Pete. that sure is a sweet profile and tiller.  Congratulations
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: crooketarrow on January 03, 2011, 11:54:59 pm
    Nice I like it.
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: Pat B on January 04, 2011, 12:51:23 am
That's a pure hunting weapon!  8)
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: Sidewinder on January 04, 2011, 12:58:40 am
Great job Pete, I like everything about it. Braced, unbraced and full draw. I wished I knew what slippery elm looked like compared to the junk elm we have here in kansas. i think they call it "chineses elm" and then there is the large leaf "american elm" buts thats all I have seen. Mark St.Louis likes elm and heat treats it, is that what you do too?   Danny
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: NTProf on January 04, 2011, 01:46:46 am
Simply beautiful!
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: medicinewheel on January 04, 2011, 05:07:27 am
Of beautiful simplicity! - What else would you need...?!
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: Pappy on January 04, 2011, 06:34:13 am
Beautiful bow,tiller looks dead on ,very nice job. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: PeteC on January 04, 2011, 10:16:06 am
Thanks a lot fella's. I appreciate it. Hammertime,that's just the heartwood in the handle that gives it the 2-tone look.  Sidewinder,Slippery elm,Ulmus rubra, has a large,very rough leaf.I find it growing in the same habitat as E. Hophornbeam,in relatively low areas along creeks,and you should have it in Kansas.Look it up in a good tree book.It'll give you several identifying characteristics. Once you learn the leaf you can find them,although,finding a straight one is very much a challenge. We have plenty of the softer elms as well,and some of these will make a good bow,but it is hit or miss with them. I like this specie because the wood is very dense,and it heat treats well. And yes,this bow is heat treated. Thanks again to you all. God Bless
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: adb on January 04, 2011, 11:06:46 am
Expertly made!
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: George Tsoukalas on January 04, 2011, 12:09:43 pm
Very nicely done.  Beautiful bow with an excellent tiller. Jawge
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: cowboy on January 04, 2011, 12:18:35 pm
Looks great Pete! I've yet to draw a sliver off of my stave ::).
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: Mark Anderson on January 04, 2011, 01:51:57 pm
Excellent bow! Great profile and the full draw is awesome! I am just getting into some of the elms and I like them a lot.
Mark
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: TBod on January 04, 2011, 01:58:27 pm
Perfect, nice wrapping!
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: straightarrow on January 04, 2011, 03:39:20 pm
Very nice bow....great tiller. I really like your bows

Jon
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: swamp yeti on January 04, 2011, 04:28:34 pm
             That is one nice bow Pete.
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: PeteC on January 05, 2011, 11:02:33 pm
Thank you adb,George,Paul,Mark,Tbod ,Jon,and Yeti.God Bless
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: kerryb on January 05, 2011, 11:12:16 pm
Great looking bow Pete.
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: NTD on January 05, 2011, 11:24:23 pm
Great Bow Pete!
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: PeteC on January 06, 2011, 03:55:00 pm
Thanks Kerry and Nathan. God Bless
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: Bullitt on January 07, 2011, 01:55:41 pm
Very Sweet, Pete! You always come up with good ones! That is a hunter for sure!

Do you reflex on a form? Is Elm a favorite wood for ya?
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: PeteC on January 07, 2011, 09:55:00 pm
Thank you much Bullitt. Yes,I do induce reflex on a 2X6 form. I cut the elm in the spring,split the log in half,give it a week or two to stabilize.Split out the staves,strip the bark,lay out the bows,take the stave to floor tiller,then clamp it to the form. I leave it on the form a month,remove it,then start weighing it.When it stops losing weight,I start tiller.If it is dry,I take it to brace height,then heat treat(on the same form).Give it 3 days to stabilize,(per Marc St.Louis in TBB vol.4),then finish it. The hard elms are way up there for me,but I also like eastern Hophornbeam,and Hickory.But my top favorite is Osage.It's just an all-around tough wood,and you don't have to heat treat it to get good performance.I have osage bows that have literally had hundreds of thousands of arrows shot through them.  God Bless
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: Josh on January 17, 2011, 04:10:02 pm
Outstanding work Pete!  Unbraced/Full Draw both look to be the work of a pro, which you undoubtedly are...  :)   Bookmarked for January BOM contest.
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: Josh on January 17, 2011, 06:36:21 pm
...and all your work just can't be beat!!!!!    :)   <<<sorry just seemed like it needed that too.    ;D ;D
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: PeteC on January 18, 2011, 09:41:13 pm
Thanks a lot Josh and Scott. God Bless
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: crooketarrow on January 18, 2011, 09:50:03 pm
   NICE
Title: Re: Slippery Elm flatbow
Post by: DustinDees on January 18, 2011, 10:24:56 pm
Looks fast, real fast.

Dustin D