Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Gordon on May 31, 2014, 10:20:07 pm
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I've been having problems with my shoulder so I decided to build a bow that will be easier to practice with than my hunting weight bows. This is a rawhide and rattlesnake backed cascara flat bow. The wood was harvested from an area in the N. Oregon coast that I like to hunt elk. It is 61” ntn and pulls 45# @ 27”. You can see from one of the pictures that there is only a narrow band of heartwood left on the belly, but apparently that’s good enough to make a functional bow. The handle is natural elk hide and I overlaid the tips with purple heart. I used a wipe-on gel urethane for the finish and was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to use and how well the finish rubbed out. I hope you like the bow, I know my achy shoulder will.
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/My%20Cascara%20Bow/My-Cascara.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/My%20Cascara%20Bow/My-Cascara.jpg.html)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/My%20Cascara%20Bow/P5310055.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/My%20Cascara%20Bow/P5310055.jpg.html)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/My%20Cascara%20Bow/P5310088.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/My%20Cascara%20Bow/P5310088.jpg.html)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/My%20Cascara%20Bow/P5310030.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/My%20Cascara%20Bow/P5310030.jpg.html)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/My%20Cascara%20Bow/P5310022.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/My%20Cascara%20Bow/P5310022.jpg.html)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/My%20Cascara%20Bow/P5310026.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/My%20Cascara%20Bow/P5310026.jpg.html)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/My%20Cascara%20Bow/P5310038.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/My%20Cascara%20Bow/P5310038.jpg.html)
(http://i793.photobucket.com/albums/yy217/gferlitsch/My%20Cascara%20Bow/P5310107.jpg) (http://s793.photobucket.com/user/gferlitsch/media/My%20Cascara%20Bow/P5310107.jpg.html)
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Very nice as always, Gordon. 8)
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That is a great looking bow.
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Very nice. Been a while since I've used the stuff, thinking I'll have to fix that!
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Another awesome bow, how do you get your skins to run right up to your overlays?
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Good to see one of your works again Gordon, always top notch and the full draw bends don't get any better than this.
The snake skins, grip and tip work really are pleasing to the eye as well. Very nice bow.
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Beautiful bow Gordon, that cascara can make some real shooters. That one looks pretty hot.
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Refreshing! I always love your work Gordon! Thanks for sharing!!
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Beautiful bow.
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Thats a Gordonian bow for sure. Looks great!
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Its beauty Gordon. I made some sapwood only cascara bows thats shot just fine. I think, unlike Yew, cas ara sapwood can take compression quite well.
Gabe
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Nice work, looks like a shooter for sure! Beautiful touchés as always
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Nice touch with the skins cut around the overlay. The contrasting woods look great.
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Hey Pat, thank you!
Thank you Outlaw, I appreciate it.
Thank you huisme. Have you made many bows from Cascara? This is only my second one so I'm still getting a feel for the wood.
I appreciate the compliment Newindian. I used an Exacto knife to trim the skin along the edge of the overlay.
Thank you so much for the compliment Badly Bent. I very much appreciate it.
Hey Steve. Thank you for the compliment. Cascara does seem to make a lively bow, but once you get down to the sap wood, its a bugger to work.
Thank you Will!
Thank you for the compliment Rob.
"Gordonian bow" - that's a new one. I like it. Thank you missilemaster!
Thank you Rossfactor. The sapwood does seem to hold up to the compression okay. Which is amazing given how soft it is.
I appreciate the nice comments Peacebow.
Thank you BL. I appreciate the compliment.
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Awesome, as always! Can't wait to see it. 8)
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Wow Gordon. Very great bow. Love the transitions of the tips and the skins. Love it 8)
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Good job, Gordon. A work of art as usual. ;)
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Elegant. Thumbsup.
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Very nice work Sir!
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Elegant lines as usual, the grain really pops, very nice.
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Gordon, another classy bow from a classy guy! Your workmanship is top flight stuff, attention to fine tillering all the way to the final finishing. That bow is a pleasure to see, and I can only assume from the profile and the tiller that the shooting is everything the look of the bow promises.
Thanks for raising the bar!
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Beautiful,Beautiful,Beautiful that's all I can say 8)
Don
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That looks like the ticket for hunting the summer 3D shoots to me. Cant wait to see it this weekend.
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Hey Weylin, thanks for the compliment. I look forward to showing it to you and seeing your excellent takedown yew bow. See you soon!
Thank you Matt, I sure do appreciate your comments.
Thank you lesken, your nice words are always appreciated.
Thank you Knoll.
Thank you Bob, I much appreciate it.
Thank you bow101. I do like how the contrast between the heartwood and sapwood with this wood.
Hey JW, what a nice compliment. Thank you!
Thank you Don for your nice words.
I never thought of it that way Carson but your are right - this bow will make a fine 3D hunter. See you soon!
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Stunner as always Gordon. Would recognise your work in a 100 bows.
We cannot bow hunt over here yet I keep making 50lb+ bows that I cannot shoot at the expense of my limbs.
My next bows will all be around the same poundage as that although not as nice :laugh:
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Very, very nice. Yours always are! I'll have to lookup cascara, never heard of it...
And nice hat, by the way, real Jäger-style 8)
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Beautiful bow Gordon,very well done as usual. :)
Pappy
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Beautiful and clean Gordon. I've got a piece of that wood I'm thinking of moving on the summer. How would you say it compares with Yew?
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Very nice bow Gordon. I love the clean appearance of your work.
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Beautiful, I love the rattlesnake skins.
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Nice bow Gordon, got one to finish up right now myself. Try decrowning and backing with reflex, I think you will like it. ;)
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Man! You are the BOW MAN, for sure! That is a very beautiful bow! What does cascara look like? I guess I could google it, and find out, huh? ;) How does it shoot? Is it fast? It sure looks like would fling an arrow, with some authority! What is your length of draw? Have you tried light weight therapy, like the little dumb bells they sell for walking? I hope your shoulder gets better. Again that is a beautiful bow, and Ja, das iss ein goot hat! ;) ::) Thanks for sharing your work again!
Wayne
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Beautiful work as usual Sir! I love the transition from tip overlay to skin. Your attention to detail is exemplary by any standard. Josh
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I agree with all the comments thus far and will add that the stripe o hart wood is just about as sweet as it gets!!!!! Another home run ;)
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Thank you dwardo. 45# doesn't seem to bother my shoulder at all so that's the way to go for me this summer.
Jodocus, thank you for the compliment. Cascara is a member of the buckthorn family and is native to the west coast. It is also commonly known as chittem. It's bark was used to make laxative.
Thank you Pappy.
Parnell, I think cascara compares favorably to yew at least in compression. I'm not so sure about it's qualities in tension so I backed it with rawhide as insurance. The wood is softer than yew and when you get down to the sapwood it's a pain to work because it tears so easily.
Thank you Pearl, I appreciate the nice words.
Thank you for the compliment Falcon. I think the skins work well with this bow.
Hey VM good to hear from you. I never thought of decrowning the wood. I would love to see pictures of yours when you have completed it.
Thank you for the compliment stickbender. Cascara us a deciduous tree. It does not grow particularly tall and has long leaves with pronounced veins. The bark is very pungent.
Thank you Josh for the really nice compliment.
Thank you soy, I appreciate the compliment. I too like the contrast between the heartwood and sapwood.
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Nice job Gordon...my joints n shoulders are liking those lower weights as of late as well... :)
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I can't be the only one not to share a compliment Gordon! Love the tiller!
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Hmmmm..... Cascara bark is used to make a laxative,...... the tree is commonly called Chittem....... "I ate some pumpkin seeds, and then chewed on some cascara bark, and Chittem!" :P :P ;D ;D ;D
Sorry, it had to be done, before J.W. got on here.
Wayne
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Always a pleasure to see one of these.
Thanks for posting.
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Beautiful work from a master bowyer ...
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Nice........maybe one day I'll be that good.
Did you splice this handle?
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you sir!!! are an artist...beautiful work!
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This is awesome!
Just everything on this bow fits perfect!
You're the best Gordon ;)
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Gordon, another masterpiece from the master!
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Gordon what a treat to see your work. Of all the great bowyers on here, yours are the ones that make me want one. Thanks for sharing. Danny