Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Robert Pougnier on November 15, 2025, 12:20:31 pm
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Here is my entry for Nov B.O.M contest.
It is a hop hornbeam recurve. 43# at 28". 68 inches NTN, 1 3/4 inches at fades and through mid limb. Total weight, including string and handle wrap, is 602 grams (21 oz). A few knots on the back and had to tinker with the heat gun quite a bit to get the tips well aligned. String is polish hemp with silk serving around the nock point. Handle wrap is home tanned buckskin with a walnut dye. Finish is 2 layers of spirit varnish and a coat of paste wax (all homemade).
It's a sweet and easy shooter with no handshock. I have not put it through the chronograph yet.
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A few more shots. It's really hard for me to keep good quality photos when resizing them, I'm learning as i go!
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Very nice, good job on that one!
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nice bend you got going there. someone (sorry, I cannot remember who) once said the static recurve works best when the tips are pointing straight up/down like you have there at full draw.
I would be interesting to see the unbraced side profile if you have a pic.
it looks like you resizing process is trying to posterize too much
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Its a fair thing to say you really did a great job on that one. The top of upper limb looks like it bends a slight bit more, but I cant tell for certain. Either way, nice workmanship!
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It does! The lower limb is slightly stiffer, though the dimensions are the same as the upper. I kept it that way. I'll post some side profile photos asap!
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Here is the unstrung side profile. Net reflex of 1/2 inch immediately after a shooting session. Comes back to about 1 1/4 inch net a few hours later.
Top limb is on the right on the first photo and on the left in the second one.
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Great profile! Nicely done!
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Very nice HHB static bow. Well done. :OK
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Thank you!
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Hop-diggity horn-bippity! She's a sexy beast!
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Nice work Robert . Nice use of a natural resources to.
HHB makes a good bow. It looks like you made a good bow from it.
Bjrogg
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Beautiful bow, HHB is my favorite white wood. :)
Pappy
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Thanks for the kind words everyone! It's the first bow I've posted here so I was feeling a bit intimidated about it. I really love HHB, it's my favorite local wood I can get.
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Really nice looking bow! Looks like a smooth shooter. How long does the string last?
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I came back for another look, and this time noticed the quiver. Can I ask you to make another post just about the quiver?
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Sure thing! I will make a post.
I'm not sure how long the string will last, It's fairly overbuilt and after about 5-600 shots it's not showing any sign of giving. It's well served at the nocking point. I'm keeping a close eye on the loops as I am wondering the same thing. I've only had one hemp string snap and It was strung on a hungarian style composite my friend had. I suspect the strain on the loop ends was much greater.
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I came back for another look, and this time noticed the quiver. Can I ask you to make another post just about the quiver?
Link to the quiver(s), just posted in the "arrows" section
http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,73397.0.html
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Very nice bow.
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Very nice lookin bow. It’s nice stuff that hhb! Trick is getting straight run. It dose make a fine snappy bow. You did a great job on this one. Looks great.
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Not sure why it took me so long to look at this one, but I’m glad I finally did. Very nicely done. Great looking bow.
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Update about hemp strings. Had my first one give out the other day. At the knot on the lower notch, which is most common. This string was not the one I have shot the most, which surprised me. It is on a flatbow with no recurves or reflex so the string angle there might have worn it out more. I have recurves with hemp strings that have outlasted this string easily twice over. This one only lasted a little over 1000 shots.
It broke at brace height during a shooting session but between shots. I felt it give a little during very early draw and sure thing it started popping. It was a very clean incision made into the string by the knot itself. So not a failure of construction or fiber weakness, but localized strain instead.
Anyways, there is not a string-specific thread, so I thought I'd share this here since I was asked about hemp strings on this thread.
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A bit late to the party but wanted to extend compliments on the bow. I've nade about a dozen HHB bows with 2 recurves and by far those were my favorites. Your bow is perfectly executed finely crafted. Very Nice!