Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Cardboard_Duck on January 04, 2013, 03:12:05 pm

Title: Started a Black Locust bow (new pics)
Post by: Cardboard_Duck on January 04, 2013, 03:12:05 pm

I came across a black locust stave that was cut out of a dead tree and decided I wanted to try to make a Cherokee style bow. It's going to be 60" TtT, 1 1/8" wide at center and 3/4" wide at the tips bending through the handle. I chased a ring and roughed it out this morning, the sapwood just kind of "popped" off with my drawknife and I went down a couple rings to a nice thick ring.

This is my first time working with black locust and my first Cherokee style bow, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated :) I thought I read somewhere that these were roughly the dimensions used and that dead BL tree were used...

Title: Re: Started a Black Locust bow (no pics yet)
Post by: richardzane on January 04, 2013, 03:22:39 pm

good luck man!

I'm kinda leary of anything cut from a dead tree...the natural oils that give flexibility have leached out leving the wood more splintery.

BL has so many wierd things that can happen inside the wood where you can't see it...small rotten spots between grain and such.
I'm working on a coffee tree bow right now (these trees MUST be related!)  there seems to be a kind of brittleness to these woods....

Title: Re: Started a Black Locust bow (new pics)
Post by: Cardboard_Duck on February 09, 2013, 01:27:02 pm

I finally got to actually work on this thing...

The stave was a little wonky with natural deflex with a little more on one end
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8085/8457980003_fe420530b2_z.jpg)


(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8101/8459082506_d7fff9634a.jpg)

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8520/8459082748_c715be38b3.jpg)

Title: Re: Started a Black Locust bow (new pics)
Post by: George Tsoukalas on February 09, 2013, 03:23:06 pm

That is nice! Osage and BL are the only woods that can make bows from dead trees. JMO. You did really well on that stave. Poundage? Jawge

Title: Re: Started a Black Locust bow (new pics)
Post by: Pat B on February 09, 2013, 04:40:11 pm

Very nice, simple bow, Duck and well tillered.
 George, around here dead locusts will delaminate while you build a bow with it. Whatever kills them also affects the early growth ring causing them to delaminate.

Title: Re: Started a Black Locust bow (new pics)
Post by: George Tsoukalas on February 09, 2013, 04:41:18 pm

Interesting, Pat. Thanks. Jawge

Title: Re: Started a Black Locust bow (new pics)
Post by: Cardboard_Duck on February 09, 2013, 05:07:54 pm

Thanks guys. Did they leave the bows plain or did they put any marking/decorations on them? I'm thinking of giving this bow to a friend of my wifes, her grandmother was Cherokee.

George, it's pulling about #50 @ 28".

Title: Re: Started a Black Locust bow (new pics)
Post by: Badly Bent on February 09, 2013, 06:29:00 pm

Nice :)   I Like the locust bows

Greg

Title: Re: Started a Black Locust bow (new pics)
Post by: okie64 on February 09, 2013, 06:56:39 pm

Very nice bow Duck, I love the cherokee style bows. Most of the cherokee bows that I have seen were pretty plain without any painting done to them.

Title: Re: Started a Black Locust bow (no pics yet)
Post by: wapiti1997 on February 09, 2013, 10:26:35 pm

Quote from: richardzane on January 04, 2013, 03:22:39 pm

I'm working on a coffee tree bow right now (these trees MUST be related!)  there seems to be a kind of brittleness to these woods....

They are both in the legume family, so they are related.

Title: Re: Started a Black Locust bow (new pics)
Post by: Keenan on February 09, 2013, 11:38:59 pm

 Great looking tiller Duck

Title: Re: Started a Black Locust bow (new pics)
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on February 10, 2013, 08:23:23 am

Nuttin wrong with those bends duck. Nice work.

Title: Re: Started a Black Locust bow (new pics)
Post by: Arrowind on February 10, 2013, 10:27:52 am

nice bow!  paint it!  >:D.          Actually I think it would look really good either way.  Nice job!