Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Robert Pougnier on January 27, 2026, 03:06:07 pm
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This is a hickory and sinew d bow, inspired by eastern woodland folks. It's pignut hickory with 60g of deer leg sinew backing. The back covering is salmon skin tinted with burnt sienna/red ochre shellac.
Specs are 59.5" L NTN. 60.25" total.
1" wide at the handle area and narrowing very gradually to 3/8"nocks. The handle wrap is not centered, but the bow rests at center on the stick in the full draw pic.
46 pounds at 27 inches.
Nocks overlaid with water buffalo horn. Bow string silencers and handle accents are mink fur, handle wrap is sumac tanned buckskin. String is white-tailed deer leg sinew.
I covered the backing with 3 strips of salmon skin.
This bow originally was too bendy in the handle area, so i spot heat treated it. I got back to work too quick and it fretted at the fade area. I rasped that down and glued on a thin 10" bamboo belly spline that is wrapped entirely with sinew. I added the sinew backing to prevent excessive set. The repair held together surprisingly well and I was able to tiller the bow to 25". I would have lover to tiller to 27" but it's held up real nice so far and I don't want to push it any further right now. The length of the belly spline is covered by the handle wrapping. There is some natural deflex in the mid limb area.
Set at rest 3/4" and just above 1" after unstringing. It's taken more set that I would like overall, and I don't expect to draw the tiller any further but, considering it's a fairly short bow and the journey to get here I'm pretty happy overall.
Thanks for looking!
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+pics
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++pics
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Sorry for so many pics!
Thanks for checking it out!
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Very nice Robert. I always liked the Eastern Woodland style bows. As always, your tiller is spot on. :OK
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Another very nice bow Robert. I have to agree with Pat, tiller is spot on. And there’s never to many pictures.
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You are a bow building machine, another nice one and good save. Pappy
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Those salmon skins look very cool. Very authentic looking. Very well done.
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Thanks everyone I really appreciate the kind words!
I think if it was not for the horn overlays the build would be pretty true to period-materials though I don't know if people ever did use salmon skins for water protection. They would have had massive atlantic salmon though if they did!
It felt great to turn a mistake around and provided some great learning. I felt pretty dumb causing the problem in the first place, but that's alright.