Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: mikekeswick on November 13, 2016, 03:59:11 am

Title: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: mikekeswick on November 13, 2016, 03:59:11 am
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr283/mikekeswick/SAM_0668_1.jpg) (http://s492.photobucket.com/user/mikekeswick/media/SAM_0668_1.jpg.html)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr283/mikekeswick/SAM_0668_1.jpg) (http://s492.photobucket.com/user/mikekeswick/media/SAM_0668_1.jpg.html)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr283/mikekeswick/SAM_0670_1.jpg) (http://s492.photobucket.com/user/mikekeswick/media/SAM_0670_1.jpg.html)
(http://i492.photobucket.com/albums/rr283/mikekeswick/SAM_0671_1.jpg) (http://s492.photobucket.com/user/mikekeswick/media/SAM_0671_1.jpg.html)

Here is a bow I just recently finished for a man in New Zealand. 60#@28 , spliced sister billets, quite a heavily deflexed bow for accuracy and boy does it poke an arrow out! About 180 - 185 with 10gpp. Just goes to show that pure reflex isn't the only answer for speed. The tips on this bow sat dead level with the back of handle so net reflex was zero.
The wood was just fantastic, very hard and it wasn't interested in showing any set :)
One of those bow you wish you could've kept!
Sorry but no full draw on this one....I can't find the picture anymore....
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: loon on November 13, 2016, 04:23:29 am
What?!?! That's so fast!

No unbraced picture either? How long was it?
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: chamookman on November 13, 2016, 05:02:34 am
Very nice - Classic lines ! Bob
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: BowEd on November 13, 2016, 07:48:26 am
Very very nice Mike.Clean and lean.Your findings are good to know about design efficiencies.The bow I just made is putting numbers out there similar to that.All reflex.What for leather are you putting on the handles?
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: osage outlaw on November 13, 2016, 08:05:08 am
That's a very nice looking osage bow.
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: Aaron H on November 13, 2016, 11:25:57 am
Looks great, tell us more about it.   The finish looks nice.  Thin rings too
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: wizardgoat on November 13, 2016, 11:47:21 am
Nice bow Mike,  can't beat those simple tried tested and true designs
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: upstatenybowyer on November 13, 2016, 11:49:12 am
That does look like really nice wood. There's nothing like osage in the hands of a craftsman like you sir. I'm sure the receiver will be pumped. 
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: Pat B on November 13, 2016, 12:41:13 pm
She's got clean, classic lines Mike. Well done!   8)
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: penderbender on November 13, 2016, 01:05:17 pm
Very nice looking bow! Cheers- Brendan
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: GB on November 13, 2016, 03:04:37 pm
Gotta love a classic osage bow.  Nice work!
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: bow101 on November 13, 2016, 03:17:10 pm
Looks good, in the last 4 years I think this is the first bow I seen from you.. nice bend, and great patina, she is a beauty......... .. :)  and I like it.
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: selfbow joe on November 13, 2016, 03:50:06 pm
Very nice looking bow.
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: Chippintuff on November 13, 2016, 03:55:48 pm
I LOVE the looks of that bow.

WA
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: Hamish on November 13, 2016, 07:29:31 pm
You always make classy looking bows Mike, this one looks great too.

I just checked out your new website, lots of great bows, including fibreglass. I didn't see any English longbows that you are known for. Are you still making them?
                                                  Hamish.
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: mikekeswick on November 14, 2016, 01:59:20 am
Thanks guys :) This was a fun bow to make.
Hamish - the problem was always getting good enough wood. Quality hickory is in short supply here. My bamboo supplier moved to the south coast and I got sick of having to buy wood sight unseen....some people don't understand 'straight grain' and 'no knots' :)
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: BowEd on November 14, 2016, 11:22:23 am
Mike....I've heard the developement of the R/D type design was first done way back in the 1940's.By either Fred Bear or a bowyer he hired to make it.You maybe have some more insight about this.I've made some myself through glue ups of bamboo and osage and can vouch like you said for their performance.
It seems that in the last 5 to 6 years or more a lot of self bow makers are getting good results from it too.Me included.Although I've seen some proclaimed as R/D but really too much set was taken on the inner limbs and was'nt really intended to be in the beginning.A bow like that would'nt be as good a performer as one constructed to be.All in the tillering like always,and quality of wood.Still I do see quite a difference in performance between how much reflex a bow has.They are harder to tiller in my book showing evidence of set more easily.I imagine knowing where a person starts out before tillering a R/D bow and it's final set is evidence also and takes the same degree of care of monitoring while tillering.

Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: BowEd on November 14, 2016, 11:29:59 am
I should add though that the way reflex is on an all reflex bow makes a big diff on how easy to tiller it.A nice even ever increasing type of reflex is best.
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: mikekeswick on November 14, 2016, 11:37:16 am
I don't actually know the history of r/d designs but for it to be used on virtually all modern bows to some degree or other there must be something in it!
I agree that as with any design it is all in the tillering, set in the inner limbs is a big no no. The 'mantra' in the TBB's of no set inner limb, a little mid limb and a little more out to the tips holds true. I don't look at the bend of a limb much anymore, or at least not as much as I used to, I have more faith in a good taper and keeping a very close eye on any set and where it is.
I just don't like a lot of reflex in a bow now feeling that if you have to lose 2 inches to get it to full draw you have probably started down the slippery slope of diminishing returns. Saying that some reflexed bows have taken a fair amount of set but still been fast.....many ways to skin a cat I suppose and there are few definite answers to all these variables. 
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: mikekeswick on November 14, 2016, 11:38:09 am
I should add though that the way reflex is on an all reflex bow makes a big diff on how easy to tiller it.A nice even ever increasing type of reflex is best.

Yup! I agree on that one.
Title: Re: Osage recurve r/d
Post by: BowEd on November 15, 2016, 12:10:33 am
Yes most times after I get my taper on the limbs bending evenly and early I just moniter the wood and go with what it tells me to do to final draw length.More than 50% of reflex lost on a bow while tillering is way too much for me.30% is more to my liking.