Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: arcangel on March 04, 2012, 11:51:18 pm
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I have a black locust stave that i want to work, since the eastern red cedar I was working on exploding on me :-[, but Still i go on. The stave is 68 inches long. After I marked out the handle ,that big knot is on the working limb that is worrying me. Any suggestions and what kind of bow should i make. thx you. :)
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more pics
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When making the front profile of your bow, decide how wide your limbs will be. Then mark from the ouside of that knot half the width of the limb on both sides. Follow the grain around the knot then tiller the bow as if that knot wasnt there. I dont believe it will cause too much trouble though because it is near the stiff non working handle and this knot may cause you no trouble at all.
EDIT: After looking again at your stave, I bet if you moved your bow far enough to the other side away from the knots, you could lay out your bow and avoid the knots all togeather, with only showing a bit of curve in the profile where the knots were. Just follow the grain around them. How wide is the stave at the knots???
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at the big knot its 3.5 inches wides. And at the one on the side is 2 10/16 inches.
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That looks like mulberry to me. Anywho, is the sapwood still on? It appears to be.
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No there is no sapwood on it.Its been in my garage for a few month, jus tthought it was time to work on it. But it is Bl.
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Thats a huge, ugly knot. If I couldnt place it in my handle I wouldnt use it. Its onyl going to get gnarlier the farther in you go from the belly side. Try shifting your layout up or down to get that knot centered. It cant be in any part of your limb in my opinion. If it was osage you may have a chance.
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Id build a knarly cool bow outa it. if you dont want to try it, you just send it to me and I will send you a nice hickory or elm stave in return! lol I like the looks of that beast
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Leave the know a little stiffer than the surrounding limb or it may break. Jawge
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I worked a piece of osage with a good knot in it. I had to use a rasp over the knot to take it down. This took more time but the bow shoots really good now. I just had to keep my knife's away from the knot through the whole process and use the rasp when working the knot area. Good luck with it.
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I don't want to assume anything, but with the marking on the backside, you are still gonna chase the ring on the back right? I just noticed from the pictures that there are ring violations on the knot and want to make sure you knew that. Danny
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Thx for the comments, but this stave is still giving me unease. This is actually the very first stave I bought when I decided into get into bow making. When I got it, I marked it up with a marker and was about dive in. Then I got cold feet because the knot and slight twist. This one may still go back to the garage to sit until I get the nerve or trade it. I don't know it. Everytime I look at it, it seems to call out to me. so yeah. thx.And no sidewinder I didnt see that, thx. Still kinda a noob. Especially to staves.