Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: mikekeswick on October 16, 2011, 07:40:34 am

Title: Black locust recurve
Post by: mikekeswick on October 16, 2011, 07:40:34 am
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr283/mikekeswick/057-1.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr283/mikekeswick/062.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr283/mikekeswick/065-1.jpg)

Here's a black locust recurve i've just got shot in, still got to make it look pretty! It is made from a stave I got off Keef, this was just about the straightest stave so decided on a recurve rather than a regular flatbow.
It's 55lbs @ 27 and with a heavy 20 strand b50 tillering string is shooting 510 grain arrows 175fps.....just ordered some fastflight and am going to make up a 4 strand endless string to see what it can do. 
The back is trapped, heat treated, limbs 1 7/8ths at the fades for 12 inches then tapering to 3/4 inch around 8 inches from the nocks then to 3/8ths at the nocks. Holding a 2 1/4 inch reflex when just unstrung creeping back to 2 5/8th when rested. It's shooting with absolutely zero handshock and doesn't seem too fussy on arrow spine - I think I may have my new field shooting bow! The one i've been using for a good while now is an osage/sinew recurve but it's 64lbs and can get a little much after shooting all day. I should be able to maintain accuracy better with the lighter weight also with some lighter arrows it should match the speed of my osage bow (185ish fps) giving a flatter arrow
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: bigcountry on October 16, 2011, 07:57:15 am
Wow, very cool.  Perfect tiller.  Ballsie using BL for a recurve.  I love it.
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: blackhawk on October 16, 2011, 10:38:21 am
Excellent curve mike  :)......what's the length on her? 
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: PeteC on October 16, 2011, 10:53:27 am
Excellent recurve.Cant wait to see it finished.God Bless
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: Badger on October 16, 2011, 10:57:06 am
  Exceelent job on that bow and great performance as well. Steve
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: Prarie Bowyer on October 16, 2011, 11:34:23 am
Curious to know the dimensions as to length and the tip radiuses.  Beautiful!  Love it!
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: Del the cat on October 16, 2011, 12:10:19 pm
Spectacularly tight curves on the tips, certainly looks fast!
Sweet tiller.
Del
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: Gordon on October 16, 2011, 12:33:52 pm
That's about as good as they get.
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: adb on October 16, 2011, 12:44:17 pm
Wow! A super looking recurve. How did you bend the tips? Dry heat?
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: Keenan on October 16, 2011, 02:09:50 pm
That is an exceptional bow. Great profile, nice curves and perfect tiller. Well done!
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: juan lopez on October 16, 2011, 03:08:45 pm
Hi Mike, great job, is a beautiful recurve I congratulate you, keep it up
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: druid on October 16, 2011, 03:24:54 pm
Great work!! How thick are recurves in bending area and what was diameter of recurving jig? It looks deadly....
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: medicinewheel on October 16, 2011, 06:00:38 pm
Excellent!
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: Pat B on October 16, 2011, 06:55:14 pm
Very nice bow. Well done!!!  8)
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: ErictheViking on October 16, 2011, 06:58:23 pm
most impressive
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: soy on October 16, 2011, 10:48:24 pm
Looking good, can't wait to see the finish on it  ;)
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: nyarrow on October 16, 2011, 11:34:58 pm
Sweet looking recurve. Looking forward to see the finished product.
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: Arrowind on October 17, 2011, 02:04:56 am
Cool!  Nice bow! Good job!
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: swamp yeti on October 17, 2011, 10:49:40 am
Beautiful bow.
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: Pappy on October 17, 2011, 11:33:39 am
Very well done that is sweet all the way around,can't wait to see it all dolled
up. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: George Tsoukalas on October 17, 2011, 11:54:10 am
Beautiful work! Jawge
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: dbb on October 17, 2011, 07:52:45 pm
Sweet looking bow,hope to see her "dressed to kill" soon ;)

/Mikael
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: mikekeswick on October 18, 2011, 05:22:00 am
Thanks for all the kind remarks fellas! I quite like this one as well!
The staves was 63 inch and the finished bow is 62 inch ntn. The recurves were around 1/2 inch thick when I bent them and i've reduced the thickness now so they are a fraction thicker than the thinnest part of the working limb. I bent them by steaming for 40 mins then bending around a form, the form has a stainless steel strap around the outside.
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: Dvshunter on October 18, 2011, 11:37:07 am
Wow. Beautiful bow you made. Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: Bitterguy on October 18, 2011, 01:09:36 pm
Looks amazing. I'm a huge fan of recurves and this is just amazing
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: nathan elliot on October 18, 2011, 01:26:58 pm
Yep this one has the "I want that bow!" factor! Hows the finishing going?
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: coaster500 on October 18, 2011, 01:54:43 pm
Sweet Curve :)

Great looking bow!!
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: Hawkeye1974 on October 18, 2011, 02:22:50 pm
I would kill for a bow like that!  Beautiful bow is a understatement, any plans to paint it?
I love recurve bows.
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: mikekeswick on October 18, 2011, 02:38:06 pm
Thanks guys. The finish is coming along nicely, i've stained it a little and the oil is drying now...The oil is some stuff I found called 'antique oil'. No idea how it's going to end up but so far so good. You're meant to 'apply liberally, leave for an hour then buff off'.
Pics coming!
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: Josh B on October 19, 2011, 12:26:29 am
That bow just looks FAST.  Excellent job, I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product!     Josh
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: Cameroo on October 19, 2011, 11:37:56 pm
That is impressive for sure!  Shoots fast already, and will only get better with a lighter string.  Thanks for posting this bow, it's very inspiring!
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: footfootfoot on November 06, 2011, 01:50:16 am
Very sharp.
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: mikekeswick on November 14, 2011, 09:20:19 am
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr283/mikekeswick/006-5.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr283/mikekeswick/012-5.jpg)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr283/mikekeswick/009-5.jpg)

Here are a couple of pictures of it finished up. I made the overlays from a piece of clear horn and black over the top. Finished with some stuff called 'antique oil'...seems to have done the job because i've shot it for 2 days straight in very heavy rain! The arrow speed is with a 425 grain arrow and fast flight string- haven't tested it with 10gpp yet but it is fast fast fast! I may make a dangerously light string and 550gn arrow just to see how close to 200fps it is. I'm also only drawing it 26 1/2 inch I think it might come close if I drew it 28inch?
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: mikekeswick on November 14, 2011, 09:21:25 am
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr283/mikekeswick/011-10.jpg)
Here's another!
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: Hrothgar on November 14, 2011, 09:42:33 am
Beautiful bow. 217...wow!
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: dwardo on November 14, 2011, 01:23:20 pm
Very very, very nice... 8)
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: hammertime on November 14, 2011, 10:32:43 pm
Awesome!Black Locust is becoming my favorite.Really like those curves and full draw shot-Hammertime
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: Tim B on November 14, 2011, 10:57:09 pm
That is one beautiful, impressive bow! Love everything about it. I have 3 seasoned staves ready to be worked and now I can't wait to try them. Congratulations on such a fine bow.
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: johnston on November 14, 2011, 11:11:10 pm
What a bow!! Missed this the first time around glad I finally caught it.
Congratulations, excellent in every aspect.

Lane
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: mikekeswick on November 15, 2011, 06:43:32 am
Thanks fella's, this bow is fast becoming my favourite. I've been shooting with it at at my local 3D club and have had to change my aiming points because I kept hitting high on the longer shots, even out to 40 yds I don't have to give any extra elevation. It's funny when people pick it up the normal response is 'wow thats so light! What draw weight is it?' I think most people don't believe it's 55lb!
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: gstoneberg on November 15, 2011, 09:15:55 am
Very impressive bow Mike.  Be careful at those 3Ds, I've had compound guys put set in a wood bow when they pull it to their release anchor points  (some are as long as 32").  It isn't so bad if you've had it that far on the tiller tree, but I usually stop at my draw length, and then keep the tall guys from playing with them.  Good work.

George
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: gmc on November 15, 2011, 07:34:24 pm
About as good as it gets with this bow.

Perfectly built and fast to prove it.....
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: druid on November 16, 2011, 04:59:26 am
Mike, I think there is no reason to do not test this beauty with 10 gpp, am I right? All other tests do not allow us te understand exactly it's speed and it looks very fast to me!!!
Title: Re: Black locust recurve
Post by: briarjumper12 on November 17, 2011, 11:34:47 am
I am inspired.  Been looking for some BL for some time now but haven't found any that it is usable. 
I agree with what George said...Be careful letting the wheelie guys pull it.