Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: steve b. on May 01, 2013, 11:21:18 pm

Title: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: steve b. on May 01, 2013, 11:21:18 pm
I found this stick laying in the woods.  Thought at first it was a trophy Oceanspray find but should have known as it was too light in weight.  After working it I'm pretty sure it is Hazelnut, even though it looks nothing like the Hazelnut in the surrounding area.   Left the bark on just to see if it would make a bow and now I'll have to see how long it lasts.  Its very light weight, like 30#, 68" long, but is smooth shooting and interesting to look at.  Upper limb is longer and out of tiller but I didn't want to work it any more because it was getting so light.  I need to get on to my tradebow............

(http://)
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: steve b. on May 01, 2013, 11:22:09 pm
(http://)
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: steve b. on May 01, 2013, 11:24:11 pm
(http://)
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: steve b. on May 01, 2013, 11:25:19 pm
(http://)
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: bow101 on May 01, 2013, 11:51:14 pm
Got me what it is   ??? ??? ??? ???
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: dmenzies1950 on May 01, 2013, 11:53:47 pm
The bark does resemble hazelnut, but I've never seen one quite that bumpy. The belly looks a little dark for hazelnut, but if you have a finish on it, it would be darker. It's a cool bow though. very unique looking.               Dale
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: lostarrow on May 02, 2013, 12:32:30 am
It was obviously taunting you . You HAD to make it into a bow. (and a damn fine job you did on it). Sometimes we just have to take a break from the task at hand to turn out a little gem or two.
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: randman on May 04, 2013, 03:32:41 pm
Although I have seen hazel bark that looks sorta like that, It looks like Ocean Spray to me also. The wood also looks like OS to me with that ambery color. The hazel around parts where OS also grows is very white with no discernable grain. Did that stick have a corky pith in it? And does the wood have a swirly figure (rays) when cut across across the grain? Can't tell exactly from the pics but I can see a little bit of grain. If so then that's probably Ocean spray.
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: Joec123able on May 04, 2013, 03:59:10 pm
I don't see any string follow so the wood must be decent for makin bows what ever it is
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: hatcha on May 04, 2013, 04:17:13 pm
Looks like dinosaur skin to me  :o

Whatever it is, it makes a nice looking bow!  Well done :D
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: ssgtchad on May 04, 2013, 06:01:26 pm
Oh thats a turtle bark tree >:D they make a really nice bow ::)
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: soy on May 04, 2013, 06:06:21 pm
whatever it is it looks cool 8)
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: bootboy on May 04, 2013, 07:52:18 pm
Man oh man that sure is a beautiful bow! I particularly love the handle
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: Thesquirrelslinger on May 04, 2013, 10:29:52 pm
Love it.
Nice job.
Too bad I can't do this with Locust.
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: steve b. on May 04, 2013, 11:03:04 pm
Thanks for the comments.   I should have said that I stained the belly.  It was very light in color. 

Randman knows his stuff.   The core is not pithy and the grain is very faint but straight and not swirly like OS.  The bow is very light in physical weight. 
And like Joe says, there is NO set.  It would follow the string a little after unstringing but spring back to reflex after an hour. 

I had it out of tiller at times and pulled it pretty hard anyway and, had it been VM or oak that i've worked, probably would have set a little.  But I'm notorious for working whitewood that is not properly dry too. 
Still, I would put this wood up against yew in weight vs. performance.  A friend is clearing his entire backyard of hazelnut and plum and I will get it all so I hope to make more of these this year.

Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: Jodocus on May 05, 2013, 03:38:52 am
Very pretty bow, looking great with the bark on. But it doesn't even remotely look like any hazel I've ever seen, and I've seen a lot of it. Are there radial streaks, "hazel-rays" visible in the fades?
But whatever it is, it looks gorgeous.
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: Del the cat on May 05, 2013, 04:45:56 am
The bark does resemble hazelnut, but I've never seen one quite that bumpy. The belly looks a little dark for hazelnut, but if you have a finish on it, it would be darker. It's a cool bow though. very unique looking.               Dale
+1.
Too dark and bumpy for Hazel but great bow.
Maybe some sort of wild plumb?
Del
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: Bryce on May 05, 2013, 12:57:19 pm
It's hazelnut
Title: Re: Bumpy mystery sapling bow
Post by: Carson (CMB) on May 05, 2013, 04:47:07 pm
Nice work Steve.  I new you would pull it off.