Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: Gordon on October 22, 2008, 02:23:29 am
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Even though I have been building my own bows for a few years now, I had never made a traditional yew longbow. The main reason for that is good yew wood is not easy to come by and I wanted to hone my skills before I began cutting into my small stash. For this first attempt I selected a set of sister billets that I had harvested from a buddies property in the high Cascades. It’s not prime yew – there were several knots and one dog-leg that I tried, unsuccessfully to heat out. But the rings were tight and the ratio of sapwood to heartwood was good. I spliced the billets at the handle using a Z-splice and made it 66” ntn. The limbs are 1 ¼” wide at the fades and taper evenly to ½” at the tips. The design is asymmetrical with the top limb 2” longer than the bottom. I like an asymmetrical design because the bow balances better in the hand when being carried. It smoothly draws 60# @ 27” and delivers an arrow with a gentle and satisfying thump. The overlays are some sort of tropical hardwood and the handle is natural elk with a Strunk style wrap. The bow is finished with 9 coats of Tru-oil.
I’ve always been a bit envious of my friend’s traditional yew longbows, but now I finally have one I can call my own. Here are some pictures:
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/YewLongbow/YewLongbow_02.JPG)
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/YewLongbow/YewLongbow_04.jpg)
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/YewLongbow/YewLongbow_05.jpg)
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/YewLongbow/YewLongbow_06.jpg)
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/YewLongbow/YewLongbow_07.jpg)
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/YewLongbow/YewLongbow_08.jpg)
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/YewLongbow/YewLongbow_010.jpg)
(http://mysite.verizon.net/res0oeio/YewLongbow/YewLongbow_011.jpg)
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hey gordon! - beatifull bow; tiller looks fantasic so do the tip and handle details! ...and the arrow, too.
frank
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I think you can consider your skills properly honed now get to work on that primo stuff youve been hoarding.Ron
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Very nice Gordon,beautiful bow,well done ,all aspect's. :)
Pappy
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Absolutely beautiful Gordon. ;) There doesn't seem to be any wood or style that you can't master. Your attention to detail is top rate as always and love the contrast of the tips to sapwood. Tiller looks perfect, and the braced pic looks like it should grace the cover of one of the Bowyer Bibles. ;) Keenan
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She is a beauty Gordon! Haven't seen ya post one in awhile - always a pleasure to look at :).
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Thats an incedible bow Gordon. Good Job as always. Joel
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You are the master at vine maple. Yew is one of my favorite woods partly to its beautiful color. How would you compare your new bow with the extraordinary vine maple bows you have made?
This bow is certainly a contender for October Self Bow of the Month.
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Fine looking weapon, Gordon, and as always, great tiller and detail/finish work. Where's the official full-draw hat?
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Very !striking bow..!!!I realy like well all of it..
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Don, I don't know if yew will yield a better bow than vine maple when proper designs are employed, but I can certainly understand why many would favor it. I find the look of a longbow with deep and narrow limbs and an oval belly pleasing and such a design is just not practical with vine maple. Also clear yew is quite pleasant to work creating long satisfying curls when it is being scrapped. Of course, when it has knots, it behaves just like vine maple :P The other thing I like about yew is that it requires no stain to being out the natural beauty of the wood - unlike vine maple. All that said, I still like vine maple because it is abundant (at least in this part of the country), it has character, and you can create incredibly powerful and durable bows from it.
Thank you all for your compliments.
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Great job, Gordon! Tiller is excellent. Jawge
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Nice tips, a nice bow, i hope we will be seeing more of yew ;D ;D ;D
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Very nice Gordon. Pat
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Truly and undoubtdely a work of art and an inspiratin to all of us beginners :).
I've always heard yew should be backed with rawhide or the like for durability's sake. Do you think it's really necessary?
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Kegan,
If this bow were meant for hunting I would have probably backed it with rawhide to protect the sapwood from getting dinged. But since I'll only be using it for target shooting, I wanted to leave it unbacked because the sapwood is so attractive. I'm not too worried about the back failing because I worked the sapwood down to a single ring (which was a lot of work) and yew sapwood has a reputation of holding up even when violated.
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Kegan,
If this bow were meant for hunting I would have probably backed it with rawhide to protect the sapwood from getting dinged. But since I'll only be using it for target shooting, I wanted to leave it unbacked because the sapwood is so attractive. I'm not too worried about the back failing because I worked the sapwood down to a single ring (which was a lot of work) and yew sapwood has a reputation of holding up even when violated.
Ahhh. Thanks :)!
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I think everything has been said, that is one beautiful bow.
Robb
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Great bow Gordon. If you still have that one when I get down to see you, I would like to shoot it. Greg
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Why does eveyone think I'm a good one or a bad one? ;D
Tiller
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Of course Greg :). That's funny DT :D
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clap clap clap
nice one
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Super job , tiller looks perfect real nice finish,like to see what you can do with a top quality yew stave! ;D
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Beautiful work on the tip overlays, nice job working around that pin knot on the upper limb too. Otta be proud of that one.
Philip
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Gordon-
Great looking bow. I'm glad you finally decided to start digging in to your yew stash.
I look forward to shooting it soon.
Did anyone doubt that gordon wouldn't chase yew sap wood down to a single ring? ;D
Bryan
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"Did anyone doubt that Gordon wouldn't chase yew sap wood down to a single ring?"
Bryan
Exactly my thoughts Brian, I think there is a name for that type of person ;D We need to dig out a piece of high elevation old growth yew that is about 60-80 rings per inch with allot of bumps,dips, dives and character just so we can all sit back and watch ;) >:D
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Beautiful bow Gordon!! I like everything about it!I'm going to have to give yew wood a try one of these days . God Bless
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BEAUTIFUL ! Frank
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wow gordon,that bow has true oregon history...when i looked at it all i seen was chet stevenson standing there in his robin hood suite...and the many other bowerys from oregons past...i dont know if you are into this or not...you should start writing down your adventuers of bow making and maybe hunting...and write a book of oregons bowyers..because you really bring the past to the present..thanks john
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A true work of art Gordon! Even your presentation is flawless!
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nice job Gordon! as usual, your craftsmanship is something the rest of us can hope to aspire to.
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Thank you Dave. This bow is rapidly becoming my favorite shooter. I never realized just how sweet yew wood is as a selfbow. I could get used to this stuff. :)
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any more thoughts on a bowyer gathering this fall?
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any more thoughts on a bowyer gathering this fall?
That's right we were going to do that. I'm game but the weather will start getting iffy on the westside now. Maybe we should try to pull together something on your side of the mountains?
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I talked to Brian a while back and he mentioned that his grandma had a farm with a large barn, maybe that would work. it will start getting cold over here for camping out. I am working on a cabin out of chiloquin which would make a cool place for a gathering but it is a bit far for most. we bought it this summer and have been working on it almost every weekend remodeling it. Keenan and I are excited for the next one in may. same place would be good. been feelling the urge to start building stuff, but all my spare time is consumed on the cabin. Keenan and I are thinking about a late hunt campout with the Tipi, should be interesting...
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That gathering in May on again? If so I will be there this year. Sounds like it was a blast!
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wow! don't know how I missed this stunning bow. Beautiful bow, Gordon, well done.
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DT, last I heard the east side folks are planning on holding a gathering in May. And I've heard through the grapevine that they have some surprises waiting for us west-side guys when the flight-shooting starts :o
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I may be able to add some surprises if they are into flight shooting. How about a 100# longbow? ;D
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;) ;) We are planning around the middle of May like last year. Sounds like we may have an even better turn out on this next one and trying to plan out more activities. Of coarse there will have to be a great prize for whoever bags the first turkey. ;)
I am still remembering waking to the sound of gobbles ;)
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Is it turkey season in May? I will get the cammo and game call ready. Primitive hunt only? Stone points only? 8) How much is the game license? Where do I get one? ;D ;D ;D Gobble gobbble gobbble YUMMMMM!!!!!
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How about a 100# longbow?
Okay, you're on our team :D
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Sounds like fun! ;D