Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => English Warbow => Topic started by: Yeomanbowman on May 24, 2007, 09:17:09 am
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In coversation with a vegan archer, I suggested using antler for nocks as they naturally drop off and can be harvested. He had been told that deer antlers were unsuitable, I don't know why.
If they are soaked for 2 weeks they are soft enough to work, and a further week drying enables them to be glued on.
These are some antler nocks I made and fitted to one of my self yew bows. It's a lower weight warbow (80 at 28" and around 100 at 32") but I see no reason why they would not work on a higher warbow weight. The antler is a lot tougher than horn but allows less artistic expression, however, they give the bow a utilitarian look that appeals to me.
Cheers,
Jeremy
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q280/yeomanbowman/Dscn7289.jpg
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q280/yeomanbowman/Dscn7285.jpg
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q280/yeomanbowman/Dscn7287.jpg
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q280/yeomanbowman/Dscn7284.jpg
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They look great Jeremy. It must be nice to have a bow thats a bit unique.
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I think they look great.It gives it an authentic utilitarian look.
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Nice bow, those tips are really cool. Justin
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The density varies quite much, from pretty spungy to rock-hard. The outer layer is usually pretty dense though. I've used antler on my latest to-be-100-120# yew bow. They haven't failed yet, but I haven't tested them too much either.
If I remember correctly, reindeer antler were imported to England from Norway in medieval times.
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Those tips look really nice. Here's one I did on a flatbow last summer.
J. D. Duff
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Lovely idea. I had the same idea myself and have some Sika deer antler in the cellar.
What deer did you use and why soak it?
ChrisD
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I used Elk and worked it dry.
J. D.
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I saw these horns on saturday and they really do look very nice.
http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q280/yeomanbowman/Dscn7285.jpg
Chris, Jeremy was saying that he had to soak them for two weeks because the antler is so hard and that soaking it softens it enough to work on.
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Well, I had a bit of a play this weekend with sika deer antler. Its very very hard - more like bone than horn, in fact a lot like a flake of some kind of stone.
I'll put it in a bucket tonight and forget about it for a bit.
C
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I used deer antler tips on a hickory backed ERC bow I donated at the NC State Shoot this weekend. The bow came out nice but looked like it had more set than I expected until someone mentioned I had put the nocks on backwards >:( ;D. Oh well, can't win them all! ::) Pat
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I used deer antler tips on a hickory backed ERC bow I donated at the NC State Shoot this weekend. The bow came out nice but looked like it had more set than I expected until someone mentioned I had put the nocks on backwards >:( ;D. Oh well, can't win them all! ::) Pat
Is that even possible?
J. D.
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Like this...
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oops!...Like this... ::) Pat
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It raises the question, why we have this convention of forward curving nocks? Is there any practical advantage? Could it be purely cosmetic, to give the illusion of a recurve?
I haven't tried making nocks yet, but I wonder whether these forward curving nocks just add to the weight of the tips unecessarily.
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Pat,
Do you have people behind you diving for cover when you shoot? ;)
Seriously, Your nocks look OK on an aesthetic level when reversed from normal. I think they look quite interesting.
Jeremy
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Thanks Jeremy. It just looked funny when I first looked at it. Like I said, looked like the bow had more set than it actually has but that was an illusion because the horn was pointing backwards. ::) Pat