Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: SeanStuart on October 01, 2014, 11:25:16 pm
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Is ERC suitable for a selfbow? One piece, unbacked. Or does it need the backing? I understand it has a tenancy to break violently.
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A rawhide backing should be adequate. I've seen and shot an all sapwood ELB style ERC self bow with no backing of about 45# that shot like a dream.
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I haven't done it yet. But I believe it can be done. Make it long.
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It can be done for sure,but they also can break very very violently,if I tried another unbacked selfbow I would leave the sap wood or at least some of it, kind of like you would Yew. :)
Pappy
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Just finished one as you described. 69" ntn, 1" wide ELB style. Lovely shooting bow. 45 @ 28.5. It had at least 1.25" of sapwood. I chased it down to 2 rings that totaled about 1/8" thick.
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That is just about what I had in mind. Only I think mine would be mostly sapwood with a tiny bit of heart - maybe. I have read that the sapwood makes a fine bow.
Did you apply any heat? My stave is twisted, but the bark and inner bark came right off, and it is very nice and clean... just twisted.
I have read that ERC does not respond to heat well, but I have not read of anyone actually doing it, other than to put a little bend at the ends. Any thoughts?
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No heat at all. It was actually a sliver off the stave I squared up to make another bow with. I was surprised it took such little set, maybe 3/4" or so?
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I have read that ERC does not respond to heat well, but I have not read of anyone actually doing it, other than to put a little bend at the ends. Any thoughts?
I have been doing some research on sinew back recurved ERC and have found a few post where steam works on ERC ??? Blackhawk has posted some about bending ERC. I'm going to work on one this winter when my shop is very low humidity. I'll try posting some then.... please post your results.
Till next time,
DBar