Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Marc St Louis on November 29, 2007, 02:14:31 pm
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This is a gonna be a thread about types of handles and how you make them. Here is how I make most of my center shot handles. First I rough out the shape by hand or with my bandsaw, depends how I feel. Then after smoothing out the shape and sanding I glue on a shelf, mostly leather but sometimes I will use a different colored piece of wood as a shelf. Then I wrap with soft leather, I always consider a handle unfinished without a nice leather wrap.
Feel free to post yours
(http://marc.stoneflake.net/BL%20Handle.jpg)
(http://marc.stoneflake.net/Black%20Magic%20Shelf.jpg)
(http://marc.stoneflake.net/Orme%20at%20the%20Handle.jpg)
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Canīt get to the pics ???
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Marc,
Pics aren't coming through.
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same here.
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I saw them just fine. Thanks
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The work now. I like that handle design Marc. Justin
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Very cool lookin handles Marc. I have one ? though, the top pic shows more of a cut out than a shelf, do you build up a shelf with some other material or do you shoot off your knuckle? Justi curious. ;)
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Sorry Marc I just reread your post and it said you build up a shelf. DOH! ::) While I am here I might as well show you how I build my handles. I so far prefer a bulbous grip for three reasons. First, I really like how well the shape naturally fits a persons hand. Second, where the handle dips into the width of the bow limbs creates a nice narrow place for the arrow to pass while still retaining a great amount of stability in that area. Third, I really like the way it looks, every thing flows very nicely into the fades and width of the bow limb. I measure 11/8" at the center then at top and bottom of the handle I measure about 7/8" then usually 11/2" fades.
I sometimes use a built up shelf made of leather and CA. But am quite interested in trying a cut out shelf like Marcs on my next one, they look pretty interesting.
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That looks cool - gives me an idea. I'm still workin on handles, so far mine are pretty dull :).
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The narrowed area for the shelf on the bows above were all reduced by hand with a rasp so you don't need to do any cutting.
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uh.....looks like you burned the belly on those bows cause you heated them way too much. I think they're probably weak, worthless, and liable to break. All your bows that look like that should be sent to me...immediately. That way they will break when I shoot them and I'll be injured, not you. That's why I'm here...to protect you from yourself!
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I don't quite see how the leather strip (very atttractive, BTW) starts and finishes. I imagine the begining is tucked in but how does it end?
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I don't quite see how the leather strip (very atttractive, BTW) starts and finishes. I imagine the begining is tucked in but how does it end?
I've wondered about the same thing.
Marc, thank you for the pics. That looks like a very elegant solution.
You make some nice bows Jbell.
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I really appreciate your caring and thoughtful suggestion Billy but I would really hate myself if I did as you suggested and you got hurt instead :)
The leather is tucked in at both ends. At the bottom the leather is trimmed so that it feathers out to a point then that is tucked under with a sharp instrument.
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I always make a bulbous handle of some sort. My handles seem so be getting smaller and smaller as I really like them tiny now. I don't go quit as extreme as Marc but I also file in a little deeper in the handle where the arrow passes. And I aways make my rest deep and out thick leather and I always do a handle wrap with some sort of leather.
dan
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The leather is tucked in at both ends.
Is there a trick to getting the end tucked under itself?
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hey mark! - this might be a stuoid question: why not just cut in a shelf instead of forming it the way you do and than build the shelf up again?! the outcome seems pretty much the same.
i've only cut a shelf on one of my bows upon customer's request; that's the one pictured below. than again this-one was a lot of work, maybe that's why you do it that way!?
frank
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Wow MedicienWheel that handle section is beautiful. The way the fades feather out is truely stunning. Danny
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Frank, that handle is beautiful! Gordon, on my leather wraps I taper the last 5.5 " down to a point and use a little glue on the ends to secure it, no coming loose so far. This method is quite a bit easier than stiching on a grip, but finding a piece of leather 24-26" long is usually tough for me to find since most of my leather comes from old leather coats, scraps and occasionally seat cushions. My latest BBY handle is wraped with leather from a slightly damaged seat cover from a Chevrolet SSR. Nothing goes to waste in my shop!
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One of the reasons that got me into making bows was the grip.There's not to many bows I've bought that I haven't taken a file to.I have a good size hand but like a small grip also.
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I like slightly flattened bulbous grips, too, for the same reasons mentioned above. I typically get them about 3/4" wide across the arrow pass. To round out the back nicely so there are no abrupt corners, I glue a piece of split leather on the back with Barge cement and rough shape it in a curved contour to blend in with the sides of the grip. Then I don a latex glove and rub runny superglue all over the leather. That will harden the leather and allow it to rasp much like wood. The next day, I do the final contouring with a #50 Nicholson rasp and 80 grit sandpaper. I also use a leather shelf built up from 3 pieces of latigo. A leather grip covers the work.
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Frank
I just don't like the looks of a cut in handle. If you look you'll see that my shelf only supports the arrow right at the back of the bow leaving the front of the handle free and clear. This allows me to use a lower brace height yet still have some clearance for the fletching. Also mine can be shaped using nothing more than a rasp.
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mark! - i see!
frank
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a few pics o mine ;D
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Marc, I do a similar thing when I cut my shelves. I have been tapering so it is higher in the back. I think I will have to change that so I can use the lower brace height. Justin
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Here is a look at how I do it. One is a finished handle on the bow I built to hunt with this year. The other is an almost finished bow. Note the leather "filler" on the back of the unfinished bow. This is how I make all of my handles now...even the bendy handled bows. With leather fillers the handle can still bend. Pat
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Is that I dacron I see Pat an a metal nock locator ? ;D...............Very nice.............bob
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You got it Bob. Nothing but the best for my primitive bows! ;D Pat
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Hi I usually post on PP.This is one of my handles it is Mediterranean laurel with the bark left on
(http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h193/censu/th_100_1635.jpg)
(http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h193/censu/th_100_1634.jpg)
Thanks for looking
Cheers
Censu
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Hey Noel, good to see your work. We would like to see more of Maltan Bowery. I'm looking forward to see how you boys in the Mediterranean do it.
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pat! - i do the same thing but using cork from (cork-plates); i just glue on whatever material is needed and file it down to desired shape! seems to work easier then leather.
this handle here's been done that way, build up with cork on belly and back (the wrapping is rattan with leather-dye finish)
(http://)
i have another-one in the works right now; i'll post pics later!
frank
ps: mark, this thread was a good idea! hope many of you'll participate!
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I don't try and get mine center shot but I do eliminate some of the fad out on the top limb
arrow side and increase a little on the other to move it over some,with the snaky stuff I
usually use most people never notice.I sometimes cut a small shelf but mostly just take it out
of the sight window.I put a piece of leather or wood under the grip for a shelf.GregB has
started doing what Ryan dose by leaving the handle full with until tillered and then cutting
them to center and I know they are nice to shoot that way but I am so use to shooting a non center bow I don't think it would help me much.I may try that some day just to see. I
know it will change your shooting,when I use to swap back and forth from a center shot
Recurve I would shoot the recurve 3or4 inches to the right and when I picked up my self bow I would be left till I got use to one or the other.I try and make all of my bows about the same
so there isn't much adjustment when shooting a different bow.I swap a lot. :)
Pappy
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Most of my last handles I built up with cork.
I gave them the right shape and after that I covered them with leather.
Sorry, no pics, but my camera isnt ok.
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Here is the braided wire handle my brother made for my son's bow last year.
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/unstrungsidehandle2.jpeg)
(http://www.freebirdarchery.com/duncans%20bow/unstrungside%20handle.jpeg)
Ralph
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nothing special about these. They work good for me (http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u169/WIbowyer/P1010471.jpg)(http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u169/WIbowyer/P1010026.jpg)
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All are really nice handles. Naturally I prefer my own but then don't we all :). These are good examples for newbies.
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Yes Marc they are very helpful. I am young in this interest and I am currently trying to decide what handle style I like the best. I obviously want something that is comfortable, consistent to grip and I am leaning a little more to the centershot simply because it eliminates the spinning issue, which as I said before opens up alot more primitive shafting options. Your handle design looks like it is centershot. Is it not? If its not it can't be that far off. I hope that more peopl will post thiers so we can get more variety. Danny
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(http://home.comcast.net/~dcm4/abc0602.JPG)
(http://home.comcast.net/~dcm4/dcb2.JPG)
I prefer slightly bulbous and either overlap wrap like the old Bears or a ribbon wrap like JD Jones. Arrow pass if there is one built out in leather. Skived on all edges.
Wish I could do those nice lace jobs ya'll do. Good looking stuff.
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I did it the way you said