Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Marc St Louis on December 11, 2007, 09:41:45 am

Title: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on December 11, 2007, 09:41:45 am
I was approached a few months ago by a guy that was looking for a short high preformance bow. He changed his mind but I didn't change mine on making it. I've made a few bows like this in the past and performance is very high. Can't shoot it right now because there's too much snow out there but they usually launch an arrow to at least 180 fps with 10 GPP. The bow is made out of Elm and is a deflex recurve 56" long, 55" N to N, with limbs 1 1/2" wide tapering to 3/8" nocks. I heat treated a few inches of reflex in and then reflexed it a bit more when I applied the sinew. In all the bow started with 6" of reflex before tillering and it now holds after tillering just under 3", this is after being pulled to full draw several times.  Pat sent me a snakeskin last year and it was long enough to back this bow from tip to tip so I put that on. Daemon Kent also sent me some Desert Ironwood a few years ago so I thought that would go well as overlays. The bow pulls 60# @ 28". Here's a few pics

(http://marc.stoneflake.net/Simple%20Composite%20Bows/Sinew%20Backed%20Elm%20Recurve/Braced%20PA.jpg)

(http://marc.stoneflake.net/Simple%20Composite%20Bows/Sinew%20Backed%20Elm%20Recurve/Handle%20and%20Tip.jpg)

(http://marc.stoneflake.net/Simple%20Composite%20Bows/Sinew%20Backed%20Elm%20Recurve/Back.jpg)

(http://marc.stoneflake.net/Simple%20Composite%20Bows/Sinew%20Backed%20Elm%20Recurve/Full%20Draw.jpg)
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: richpierce on December 11, 2007, 09:49:40 am
Wow that looks great and looks stout too!  How thick are the limbs and tips?  It looks like ot would be tricky to tiller a bow with that much reflex.  Is a design like that fast because it has so much tension at brace height?
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Woodland Roamer on December 11, 2007, 09:55:38 am
Wow, that's a beauty Marc, as usual. I really like the way the unbraced profile looks, just an all around great bow.

Alan
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Pappy on December 11, 2007, 09:59:12 am
Beautiful bow Marc,you done a great job as usually. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: a finnish native on December 11, 2007, 10:06:08 am
nice one! Have you ever made a sinew backed recurve with a gull wing profile? simillar to hornbows but just sinew and wood.
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: snedeker on December 11, 2007, 10:08:21 am
what a great tiller.  challenging to string?  It does look thick limbed.  Great to see.

Dave
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on December 11, 2007, 10:17:17 am
Thanks guys.

Limb thickness varies Rich but just after the fades they are 1/2" thick and 3/8" at the apex of the bend of the recurve

Tried to make one out of Osage and sinew FN many years ago but the design is too unstable.

Not bad to string at all Dave. There's not that much reflex on this one
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: George Tsoukalas on December 11, 2007, 10:23:27 am
That is an awesome bow with an awesome tiller, Marc. Jawge
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Hillbilly on December 11, 2007, 11:26:09 am
Marc, that's a wicked looking bow-we've missed seeing those screaming recurves of yours lately.
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: tom sawyer on December 11, 2007, 11:31:09 am
She's a beauty, sinewed bows are my favorite.
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Justin Snyder on December 11, 2007, 11:34:17 am
That is an incredible bow Marc.  You never cease to amaze. Did you use dry heat to get such tight bends on the recurve?  Every time I try to get that tight of a bend I have a delamination on the early growth ring.  I bet someone is sorry they changed their mind about wanting that bow now.  Justin
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: OldBow on December 11, 2007, 11:35:41 am
Very impressive, bow, Marc. The potential buyer missed out! :(
Looking forward to seeing how it compares for Dec Self Bow of the Month consideration.
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Slivershooter on December 11, 2007, 11:42:11 am
Like always, one fine looking bow!!!

Walt Francis
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Gordon on December 11, 2007, 11:50:37 am
Wow, that is an impressive bow.
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Keenan on December 11, 2007, 12:25:25 pm
Awesome bow Mark,
  To be able to get 28" draw out of a 56" bow is quite an accomplishment. That bow would be a good contender for the ambush bow challenge. You absolutely nailed the tiller, and the skins,tips and finish make that a work of art. I don't often consider buying a bow because of making them but that one has me drooling. Looking forward to seeing that one on BOM.     Keenan
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on December 11, 2007, 02:25:58 pm
Thanks again guys.

Justin. No I used steam to bend them. I have had recurves de-laminate in the past but only when I have steamed the wood more than once, such as making a correction in them. Maybe so but he said he wanted to wait till Spring. I told him I wouldn't be selling one like this for the price I quoted him in the Spring.

Keenan. It pulls 60# right now but then it is a bit dry here. In humid weather it would lose a bit of weight after awhile so with Dean's criteria of 60# being the minimum it could be rejected. Of course this bow most likely performs like a 70# bow so maybe not. I'm not really interested in that challenge anyway.
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: DanaM on December 11, 2007, 03:13:05 pm
Holy Wuh is that a beauty Marc, love the recurves, the unbraced profile, full draw, the skins
everything about it is stellar. The buyer missed out that one eh!
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Kviljo on December 11, 2007, 04:24:17 pm
As it's been said here before, I've never felt like buying a bow, but this one got me thinking!
If you don't mind me asking, what kind of price-class would such a bow be in?

Totally awesome :)

How many layers of sinew does it have, and how long do you normally let it dry before starting to bend it?
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive on December 11, 2007, 05:24:25 pm
incredible. that is an amazing bow. some of the best work i have seen.- Ryan
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: bowmo on December 11, 2007, 06:56:58 pm
A truly awesome bow...
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: huntersim on December 11, 2007, 07:13:12 pm
Good looking bow Marc. I like your tiller as well.
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: mullet on December 11, 2007, 07:26:56 pm
  Nice,your sinew bows alway's look like rocket launchers.And like Keenan,a new purchase sure crossed my mind.
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: david w. on December 11, 2007, 10:52:39 pm
thats beautiful. I love that
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: PeteC on December 11, 2007, 11:04:06 pm
Dad gum! that's an awesome recurve.Super job all around.God Bless
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Jesse on December 11, 2007, 11:39:36 pm
Yup that is one sweet bow. I also would like to know what that thing was selling for. Tiller is awesome. Cant see anything I dont like about it.   
                                                    Jesse


Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on December 11, 2007, 11:53:52 pm
Thanks guys.

This bow has 4 courses of sinew most of which is laid down the center of the limbs
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: whatareyadoin on December 12, 2007, 02:32:09 am
You Guys amaze Me were are the gal Bowyers?
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Eric Garza on December 12, 2007, 10:10:44 am
Marc,

You mentioned, with regards to a gull-wing design, that "Tried to make one out of Osage and sinew FN many years ago but the design is too unstable."  What do you mean when you say the design is too unstable?

-Eric
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: a finnish native on December 12, 2007, 03:39:23 pm
What do you mean by too unstable? Bows as such have been made for thousands of years, and I am in process of making one now. I am curious to know your experiences with such a bow design.
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on December 12, 2007, 04:06:59 pm
Well first of all a gull wing design is not a horn bow design. The design I tried was similar to a crab bow such as you would see on a horn bow where the tips are nearly touching only not quite as extreme. The stability issues were lateral where the limbs tried to twist sideways and consequently the string would come off the recurves. I'm sure it could be done but just too much work for my tastes especially when a bow such as this one will perform at least as well if not better than a highly reflexed one.
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: a finnish native on December 12, 2007, 05:31:29 pm
I have seen horn bows with a gull wing like desingn. just more radical than wooden ones. I was thinkin mainy about makind a Lakota type of bow with big recurves, sinew backing and 4" reflex. the bow bieing 45" long. it's mainly an experiment,  but I am curious.
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: mamba on December 12, 2007, 08:49:45 pm
Da- - - ng thats pretty !
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: jignfrog on December 12, 2007, 09:06:18 pm
Nice bow. Good work as usual


Jignfrog
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: koan on December 12, 2007, 09:09:42 pm
WOW!!!!.....Brian
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: DCM on December 13, 2007, 09:31:48 am
Good to see you posting a bow Marc.  Beautiful as usual.
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: cowboy on December 13, 2007, 10:10:47 am
Dang sure is a nice one :). Got me to thinking about trying something shorter myself, won't look like that of course but easier to handle in the brush.
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on December 13, 2007, 10:32:25 am
Well I have made a few bows like this one and all have gone out to someone so I figured I would make this one for myself. Course if someone offers me the right price I will part with it, I can always make another :)
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Ryano on December 31, 2007, 02:56:21 pm
Not sure how I missed this bow Marc. Thats one sweet looking recurve. Looks right up my alley..... ;D
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Shooter on December 31, 2007, 05:01:56 pm
What a beauty
Title: Re: Sinew backed recurve
Post by: Marc St Louis on December 31, 2007, 06:31:08 pm
Thanks Guys. I kind of like it myself  :)