Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: half eye on February 20, 2015, 06:54:45 pm
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Debated about posting this but decided to. This was made with some flint tools I asked Dan Hamblin for. I wanted some specialty spalls for arrow making and to try on a bow. I know most stone tool bows are shaped while green but I didn't have any so used a cured small hard maple stave split. I did not make the stave with stone, or harvest it with stone, just shaped it, tillered it with hand held flint.
There are some pics, dont laugh at the "tool" marks. I could not get the cutters,scrapers and abraders to make smooth cuts they all left deep chatter bruises in the wood. I aint diggin in the snow for some sand stone but dont really know if that would help anyways. The stats are:
44" ntn
Hard Maple stave
44#@23"
Steamed recurves by water on hot coals and the tips bent between a limb and trunk ( the bark left the marks on the back of the bow)
finish: grease and pitch and smoked
There are pics of the back whit what looks like tension cracks but are not (in the bow wood anyway) It was very hard to scrape the bark and cambium perfectly with the flint spalls so there are small strips which of course crack.
*all the wood work was with the flint except the lower limb fineal diamond, it took me 2 days for the top one so I went to the file for the lower (2 days VS. 20 minuets)
If there are any questions or something that ya want a pic of please let me know....enjoy the pics and I will post the neolithic arrows in the arrow section.
rich
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last ones
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Cool project Rich. Are getting a little cabin fever man? I would have to get pretty bored to start whittling out a bow with some flint chips :o
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The arrows were the main deal (presentation set for the Nesnabek) then just said what the hell, so I guess your right man,,,,winter's a long time goin bud. :o
rich
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Very cool Half Eye! I really like how the finish looks. Well done! Patrick
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Rich,
Though I have never used stone tools for bow making I know that takes patience and hard work...Awesome bend on that shorty and the arrows are gorgeous...Would like some close pics on the arrows if you get time...
Don
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Don, will have them up tomorrow in the arrow section, got 3 done and waiting on the sinew to set up good on #3. Gonna put the arrows and tools in the arrow section.
rich
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Thank you Leb, wasn't high hattin ya bud.....old age has got me single taskin ::)
rich
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Just straight awesome Rich! Hats off to you and anybody else doin it real old school. Stone tools is taking it to whole different level. Nice work! You gonna shoot something with it this year?
Tattoo Dave
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Nice work with stone tools Rich. That's quite an accomplishment.
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Very nice work, congrats.
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Fantastic weapons ... and workmanship!!
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I love it, thanks for posting!
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Very nice! Amazing the time difference between the two tools!
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Debated about posting this but decided to
I'm really happy you decided to do it
great accomplishement!!
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Very cool Rich, glad you posted this. I hope to one day do a primitive build like this
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Nice little bow. I bet that took some patience making it the way you did.
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Nicely done Sir. I like them with the tool marks showing on these types. Makes them look rugged.
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Thank you very much fellas. I did it cause I wanted a small appreciation fro what the NA went through....I did a lot of things wrong which is obvious but I can tell you this, I'd protect my bows and arrows to the max. This showed me first hand about what tedious really means. It was nothing like what I thought and I'm stickin to my files and such. I also have a fair understanding why they would go to great lengths to recover their arrows and arrow heads, maybe evenh why they would choose to kill really big critters with spears or big rocks. I have all the respect in the world for neolithic people.
Gonna post the arrows today and you will see what I mean about tedious to the max.
rich
Slimbob, thanks man...was typin while was.
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Real nice work Rich! I've used a stone tool to harvest an Osage sapling ONCE, and was quick to have the utmost respect for those that have and will make a stone tool bow. I have noticed that larger and heavier stone tools work much easier on wood removal but I still get tool marks.
Nice work! Love the arrows too!
Tracy
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I don't know if making bows from stone tools could grow on a guy but to me the look of the finished product could. I like that pure primitive kinda hand hewn character, doesn't look like it was made in a wood shop but more like it was whittled around a campfire. Very cool little bow there Rich.
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I would love to sometime love to try this. Great job rich. Something cool about the primitive look. My brother in law just made some birch tar and together we formulated a great wood stain with it and turpentine. It would look great with this kind of bow. I will try it on the one I'm working on now and post my results. The stain has a very natural look. Love this bow :)
Matt
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Thanks again all of you.
Tracy, check out the arrows when I post 'em there's a deal you can relate to.
B2, I really like it too, but was thinkin yall might think it was too crude, like I said I'm not sure I even went about it right. But it was fun and I may do another (maybe not if I get in my right mind >:D).
Idaho, That sounds like a great finish, especially on cold weather climate peoples. Maybe I can trade you out of some for my next neolithic bow set?
Thank you all for the kind comments.
rich
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I like the rough finish, looks functional. Did you have to sharpen the stone tools much or did they keep their edge through the whole job?
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DC, believe it or not most of the "chatter" came from the tools when razor sharp. ( either slicing or scraping) they did dull down a bit and I did not resharpen and seemed to give a better result. There could be 2 different reasons for that though.
first: I was working very hard wood that was fully cured, not green or semi-dry
second: I was not using the tools properly, or my hand strength is not up to par.
I had better results with slightly dull spalls. Even cutting the fineals was not what I expected in that I used my arrow notch tool for that job and it was so much a matter of "cutting" as it was "abrading". sort of like a file compared to a sharp knife.
rich
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That's a cool primitive set. Both look great - bow and arrows!
Thanks for posting Rich, one day I will try that too.
I had Jim Hamm's book in the hands today and I'm wondering why indians or paleopeople did that painful job at decorations. Two days for that diamond shaped nock, puuh ...... :o
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Simon, I agree with you man. But I bet when it was done they would gaurd it like it was gold 8)
It sure is easier to haft a sapling to a spear point >:D
rich