Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: k-hat on January 04, 2013, 01:13:35 am

Title: Hickory bow for a young lady
Post by: k-hat on January 04, 2013, 01:13:35 am

This bow has a bit of a story with it as well, sorry guys ::).  This is going to the sister of the boy receiving the osage elb.  The girl loves archery but the stock youth bows don't fit her, so i hope this one is better. 

I started this bow for myself back in the summer.  It was a pyramid hickory bow from lumber.   Didn't take into account the humidity in the summer, tillered it strung in one afternoon, and when i unstrung I had a 50ish# hick bow with 3-1/2" of set!!!!  Ouch!  Set it in the corner of shame.  Revisited a few weeks later, cracked the tips tryna recurve it, set it back in the corner.  A few weeks later I whacked off the tips (last 4" or so of each end), and set her on my reflex form and gave a good deep and dark tempering.  held all the reflex, but didn't know what to do next with her (she was kinda short, didn't want a short bow), set'r back in the corner.  Lady wants me to make a couple bows for her boy and her tomboy archery girl who ain't easy on a bow.  Now i know what to do with this one. 

So i took'r outta the corner one last time.  Knowing she was way too heavy, i trimmed the 2" limbs down to 1.5", and cut about 1/3 of the thickness off.  "This should get me in the right neighborhood to get started"  I thought as i ATTEMPTED  to string her.  She was so taut she popped my temp nock right off.  Now i'm curious.  Turns out even with the reduction she was pulling 40+# at only 10 inches!!!!  No telling how high she would have gone.  Needless to say, i had a LOT of reducing to do.  By the time i was done, all the tempered wood was gone, but she wound up with a flat profile nonetheless once the reflex was gone. 

Lesson learned:  Well-tempered hickory is a beast!

Ok, so here she is:

"Stinger"
20#@21"
54" ntn
Hickory with osage handle and tip overlays
Pyramid profile with slight thickness taper.

This one also came with a half dozen matching arrows.

(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd374/k-hat/100_1620_zps33ec3824.jpg)

(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd374/k-hat/100_1623_zps53823db6.jpg)

(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd374/k-hat/100_1636_zps9904d395.jpg)

(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd374/k-hat/100_1640_zps42b53ef2.jpg)

(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd374/k-hat/100_1646_zps4d02963b.jpg)

(http://i1216.photobucket.com/albums/dd374/k-hat/100_1639_zps74cf5a3f.jpg)

Thanks for lookin!

Title: Re: Hickory bow for a young lady
Post by: Roy on January 04, 2013, 01:16:25 am

Very nice.

Title: Re: Hickory bow for a young lady
Post by: randman on January 04, 2013, 05:23:49 am

Those kids are going to love their bows Mr. Hat. Wait till you see the smiles on their faces (make sure and post those).

Title: Re: Hickory bow for a young lady
Post by: Pappy on January 04, 2013, 06:01:11 am

Thats a beauty. She will love that I am sure. :)
 Pappy

Title: Re: Hickory bow for a young lady
Post by: Del the cat on January 04, 2013, 06:08:26 am

Great work. Low draw weight bows can be a pig to make, looks like you've naile those thin limbs nicely.
Del

Title: Re: Hickory bow for a young lady
Post by: rps3 on January 04, 2013, 06:32:42 am

Good one.

Title: Re: Hickory bow for a young lady
Post by: Badly Bent on January 04, 2013, 09:35:45 am

Another nice one K-hat, looks like your making a couple kids week.  :)
Greg

Title: Re: Hickory bow for a young lady
Post by: k-hat on January 04, 2013, 10:27:23 am

Thanks Roy, Randman, Pappy.

Appreciate it Del, and yes i'd rather do an adult bow than a thin kid's bow any day!  Those thin limbs will really test your patience and skill!

Thanks rps3, Greg.  I hope so!  This is part of their Christmas (they went to Europe for the past two weeks :o, so they're just now doing Christmas gifts).  Looking forward to their reactions. :D

Title: Re: Hickory bow for a young lady
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on January 04, 2013, 11:39:59 am

Very nice Kevin.

Title: Re: Hickory bow for a young lady
Post by: blackhawk on January 04, 2013, 11:56:57 am

Looks like the thorn in your side will now be the rose in her hands ;)

Title: Re: Hickory bow for a young lady
Post by: k-hat on January 04, 2013, 12:00:21 pm

Thanks PD, Thanks Blackhawk, wish i'da thunk of that!  Should've named her "thorn"!!