Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: YewArcher on June 23, 2007, 06:29:44 pm
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here is my latest replica bow. It is again an Acumawi Replica. North East California tribe Pit River area. As shown in TBB1 by Steve Allely.
The spces are:
Yew Heartwood
sinew backed with 3 courses
Holds 1.5" of reflex just unstrung and about 2.5" rested.
lenght: 44" n to n
Overall: 46"
Width: 1 3/4" at mid llimb 1 9/16 at center, tips are 7/8"
45#@25:
Here is the unbraced profile:
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/Acumawi%20Replica%20o6o7/100_4565.jpg)
Front Profile:
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/Acumawi%20Replica%20o6o7/100_4566.jpg)
Belly profile:
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/Acumawi%20Replica%20o6o7/100_4569.jpg)
Grip area:
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/Acumawi%20Replica%20o6o7/100_4568.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/Acumawi%20Replica%20o6o7/100_4575.jpg)
These are the kerfed bent tab nokcs and recurved tips that these bows are famous for. Wrapped in rawhide to keep the string from chaffing the sinew. Ingenious design by these primitive people!
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/Acumawi%20Replica%20o6o7/100_4571.jpg)
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/Acumawi%20Replica%20o6o7/100_4573.jpg)
This is the braced from the side:
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/Acumawi%20Replica%20o6o7/100_4578.jpg)
Braced viewing back as shown with cane arrows made for this bow:
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/Acumawi%20Replica%20o6o7/100_4581.jpg)
recurved tips at brace hgt:
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/Acumawi%20Replica%20o6o7/100_4583.jpg)
As viewed from the back. Note the knots. They look very cool on this bow:
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/Acumawi%20Replica%20o6o7/100_4586.jpg)
Here she is at full draw:
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d114/yewarcher/Acumawi%20Replica%20o6o7/100_4598.jpg)
As many of you who have known me for awile now know. I have been working towards this bow for a long time. Starting with osage to get the feel for the design and the bow I have finnaly moved to using the true wood for this design which is heart wood yew. I am very happy with the final outcome of this bow and have labeled it as my own shooter. I end up giving most of my bows away but not this one! It will be my hunting bow for next year. I am awaiting my otter pelt to make a quiver for this set up as well.
Thanks for looking!
SJM
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PS. Just to catch some of you before you post. i know that the bow could go 28". It is not supposed to as it is replicating a western indian bow design.
sjM
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Woo-Hoo ,looks like you nailed it. Very nice.
If you don't mind me askin' what did you paint it with?
Ralph
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It looks like an incredible bow to me. The finish is beautiful. I don't know why you would want to draw it to 28" if you can shoot it at 25". Justin
PS I was looking at the bow in the vice in the first picture. HA HA
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That's an amazingly well made bow, love the artwork too. I'm not familiar with the Achumawi bow, is it flat all the way through, including the handle?
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Thanks guys,
Ralph, The paint is acrylic. Have not ventured into primitive pigments yet. Hope to for the next one.
Justin, ya. I should have took that other out of the vice. Thats next weeks bow. Potowatmi replica.
Simon, The bow is actually a shallow ellipse through the entiree lenght.
SJM
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Nice one! Have you talked with Steve yet on making those bows? Met him at the Glass Butes knapp Inn a few months back. It was a blast talking with him. He had one there and boy oh boy do they shoot well. I really like what you have done with that bow. Did you use hide glue to glue the sinew on?
David T
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David, No. I have never spoke with him. I would like to meet him one day. Hopefully will be able to show him my bows. That would be cool. They do shoot really good. i would have no hesitation in taking this hunting anything in my parts.
yes, i used hide glue. thats all i use on replicas. have built a few others with TB2 and that works just ok.
SJM
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Wow, that is really a cool bow, I just love it!
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Neat! I am going to use some TBII on my Modoc replica since its always a bit wet here in WA and want to keep the glue from getting damp. I think pre soaking the sinew in water before dipping it in water may allow things to set up better. Dont think the TBII gets into the sinew enought to cause it to relax therefore it does not shrink much when drying pulling the bow into reflex. I'll give it a shot and see.
David T
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Awsome! You did a great job replicating that one. I see another replica in progress in the vise behind it.....looks like another bow will be soming soon?
Sean
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Yew Archer, Thats a beauty, and a great looking full draw photo as well. You should be proud, any Achumawi would love to shoot that!
Rich
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WoW nice bow!!!
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Beautiful Bow. I love your attention to detail.
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awesome. it doesn't get any better than that
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Incredible !! ...I'm not much into short bows, but your bow is beautifull, good job ;D
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I think we need a new BOM category for originality. Very Impressive. We'll look at it again next week.
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Excellent bow!!! ;) Pat
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I love those bows,Nice Job!
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excellent job not only do you have my vote this month but you have it at the end of the year also. fantastic job
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What a outstanding bow! Beautiful!
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Hey, I'm working on the exact bow! 8) ;D Any way, very nice work.
Couple questions. Did you use dry heat or steam to recurve the tips? I steamed mine but for some reason, the yew seemed to want to go back to its original shape. I ultimately got some additional bend but not nearly as much as I wanted. Also, what kind of rawhide did you use and how did you apply it?
On the primitive paints, they are more time consuming than difficult. Give it a shot. They are fun to make/work with.
rusty
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That's one of the best looking bows that I've seen lately. Great, great job- looks like it was transported through time to your hands. Looking forward to seeing the Potawatomi replica now. Is it done yet? Is it done yet? How about now? :)
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Very very nice .That is a beautiful bow and looks like you nailed it on all counts.Mighty fine job. :)
Pappy
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She is a beauty! Well done. Jawge
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Thanks guys, She sure is a beauty to shoot. Tahnks for all the compliments.
Hillbilly, The potowatomi replica is just about finished. Will probably post her up this week.
RDLB, have made plenty of yew bows and always use dry heat to bend recurves and do any corrections. The rawhide is deer.
Thanks again. I will harvest a deer with this bow this season. With a cane arrow......now I just need to learn to knap some heads....
SJM
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RDLB, have made plenty of yew bows and always use dry heat to bend recurves and do any corrections. The rawhide is deer.
Any thoughts on adding a small amount of recurve to a bow like this that has already been sinew backed? I'd be hating myself if I screwed it up but I'm still very tempted to try. In case you didn't read it, here's a thread I started on the subject last week: http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,2688.0.html
Also, I have never wrapped bow tips with rawhide. Do you have any suggestions or is this an operation best done with experimenting?
Thanks, and again, very nice looking bow you made.
rusty
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Beautiful bow, I'd never hit anything with it because every time I drew I'd be admiring the yew belly.
Could you give some particulars on your sinewing process? You use hide glue, do you dip the sinew in water first? LAy down bundles at a time I suppose? Any combing of the ends, and how thin do you separate your individual threads? Always interested in sinewing stuff.
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rdb, No I do not think you can add recurve to a finished sinew bow. Better to start a new one. My first replica of this style bow is straight with no recurve. Its one of may favorite bows to shoot. Of course the recurve is orignal and is awsome but the straight will wokr just as well. Only thing is you need to at leats to the bent tab nocks or the string will slip off the nocks. Could do a sinew ball at the end to prevent this. Again though....i would start a new one if I were you.
As far as the rawhide tips go. I will do a build along on the next that will show that in detail.
Thanks Lennie,
I break my sinew down to dental floss size threds. I then group them in bunches of about 8-10 and sort them by lenght. I use a magazie to keep them straight and in order. When i get ready to sinew i sand the back of the bow with 60 git paper and then score it with a hack saw blade. I then wipe the back with a clean cloth. That is all the back prep that I do. I then seize tha back with a warm coat of hide glue. While the seizing is drying I start taking the sinew bundles out and submerging them in warm water. I then hand them on a rack that it over my work surface. Tis make them all visable as you are doing the sinew and expidites the process. I then start grabing the bundles and dipping them in hide glue and procedd as normal.
By pre soaking the bundles they take the hide glue better and offer mor reflex...in my experienec.
Can do a build allong on this as well if you all ee a need or desire to see it.
SJM
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That is an incredible little bow very well done. Congrats.
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WOW
That is a awesome bow. Nice art work. Yew wood is very beautiful. I like it.
Ron
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That's a beautiful bow. Even with all the Yew I have, I'm still jealous when I see staves like you've got under your bench there. You should keep that stuff out of sight. The bowyers might not steal from you but the wood turners and carvers, I'm not so sure. ::)
I really like the design you are replicating. I've been looking into a West Coast replication for a while as an anecdote to my current case of the English disease. I would, however, be glad to go on record saying that the Pottawatomie bow was an absolute triumph in terrible design. I can hardly think of a way to build a worse bow. Prove me wrong.
You do some very fine and inspiring work.
J. D. Duff
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Thanks JD.
Thats the challenge with replicating though as you know from your replications of warbows. Some of the ancient designs just do not make sence or we have lost the knowledge as to why certain things were done. allot of mystery and speculation which is part of the draw to ancient designs. The Potowotami may be a terraible design by our standards and what we know as modern bowyers but for some reason the Native Americans chose that design? They also made some straight edged ones as well so who knows what they were thinking. It truly is a wonderfull bow to shoot as is this achumawi.
Thanks for the compliments. I probably should start stashing my yew...lol.....good idea!
SJM
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Man - - - that is cool , love them short bows!
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Wow! Now that is an ambush bow. Definately going to be a top contender for BOM.
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I love it. When you kerfed the back to bend the recurves, did you use a metal band on the belly side when you bent it?
And did you steam it or use dry heat?
If been wanting to make one of these shortbows with tabbed nocks, but I'm not sure of the best way to bend them successfully .
I really like the native American bows. They shouldn't be dismissed out of hand as inherently inferior .To do so shows a cultural bias.
Ralph
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Ralph, The tabbed nocks and the recutves are done seperatly. I start with the recurve first and make that ueing dry heat and yes I do use a metal strap. I then make the bent tab nock with the kerf. again using dry heat. This has t be done very carefully.
SJM
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SJ, I have (or am about to - LOL) posted a Full Draw pic of you and this Bow (as well as a "click to" difinitive pic of some of the special parts of the bow) to my TBD Pages Page 13. Great little bow and thanks.
http://residents.bowhunting.net/bsdunn/tbd13.htm
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Great Bernie. Thanks for putting me and the bow on those pages! Thoe are so great! You are doing such a huge service to the comunity. All one sou;d od to see a specific styly bow at full draw is go to your page!
Thanks!
SJM
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My true pleasure, SJ. I love for folks to view it - thanks for the kind words.
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.......did you use a metal band on the belly side when you bent it?
I'm not familiar with the use of a metal band when bending. Can someone please explain this or point me to a link?
Thanks.
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Im no expert but Im prety sure the metal band is to prevent the belly from splitting out while it is forced to bend.
That is a great bow you can be proud. I know I would be.
Jesse
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The metal band is attached to the tip end of the form and clamped to the limb further down towards the handle. As the wood is heated and starts to bend the metal strap puts pressure on the belly(outside of the bend) and this prevents splinters from lifting along the belly during the bend. A must for extreme recurve bends and a good idea for any drastic bends. Pat
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Just in case, Nice Authenticity, that rocks :)
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Very nice , looks like the real thing.
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great work,,a nice true to form bow,,,,keep up the good work................. :) :)
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great job on that one! Ghosting through the woods with that will be special indeed....looking forward to seing that beauty in a harvest pic!
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Very talented work there, YewArcher. The Smithsonian has a place for you! Bookmarked, too!
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Very nice indeed!!!
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Very talented work there, YewArcher. The Smithsonian has a place for you! Bookmarked, too!
Don, you do realize this bow dates to June 2007?
Dane
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I missed this one. Excellent work. Beautiful bow
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it's worth seeing again eh! :)
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It is an amazing bow. I remember it from when it was first posted. And, it won Bow of the Month back in 2007.
Dane
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Great job. Awesome in all respects. I love the tips and the sinew job.
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I'd hate have to have posted anything for bow of the month, I dont think this one will be beat!!
Magnificent.
N2
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I just came across this post and would like to comment, I have made a replica bow the same as this but used ash instead of Yew, did not want to risk wasting real bow wood. Ash does tend to follow the string a bit but the bow turned out ok. Pulls about 35ib at 24". What is your brace height as mine is quite low about 4 1/2" I am using a hemp string which has been pre-stretched. The bow shoots lovely which surprised me for such a short bow. I am now tempted to make a Yew/sinew bow of about 45lb pull. Well done yours looks superb. I have to decorate mine yet and finish grip and string silencers. Looking forward to looking at the rest of your posts.
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Haven't seen a post from YewArcher in years.
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Wow. That looks great. Very nice work. Indeed to track down some yew some time soon.
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That's a sweet bow, I have some yew seasoning now.
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I got to see and draw that jewel last spring. Steve brought a batch of his bows to a shoot we all attended. He does great replica work.
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Very cool replica bow. Beauty. :-)
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wow nice one
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Dang, you sure have a bend in that. Nice looking bow. Good job.
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very very cool, hope to see more from you. no more vacations >:D
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You knocked that one out of the park, deserves all the praise it gets.