Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: IndianGuy on March 12, 2011, 12:54:20 am

Title: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: IndianGuy on March 12, 2011, 12:54:20 am

Hello All, First post here and wanted to tell a little about myself and my bows.
I am a Native American Bowyer from Oklahoma that has been making Plains Indian Bows for 25 years. here is my latest bow. It is 50" Long osage orange, backed with two layers of sinew and ochred with earth pigment. the bow is appx 50 pds at 25". Bow is being drawn 25" on tillering stick Pictured. 1/2 its total length.
Arrows are red osier dogwood, double grooved and fletched with turkey feathers, real sinew wrappings, Homemade trade points and ochred with natural pigment I collect Locally. the arrows are self nocks and all wrappings are sinew.
looking forward to joining you!
A-Ho! (thanks)
Eric

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: Pat B on March 12, 2011, 12:59:09 am

Welcome to PA, Eric. Very cool little bow and nice arrows. Can we see close up pics of the arrows?

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: sailordad on March 12, 2011, 01:03:09 am

welcome to PA
sweet looking bow,tiller is awesome
yes close ups pics of the arrows please

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: IndianGuy on March 12, 2011, 01:07:03 am

Here are pics of the arrows and a pic of the bows backing, the wrappings are sinew and the handle has a 5" section of sinew wrapping.

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: NTD on March 12, 2011, 01:08:50 am

Great Bow! Welcome aboard.

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: Pat B on March 12, 2011, 01:10:15 am

Thanks, Eric. Very cool set. I like the unbraced profile of your bow. Interesting how you added the reflex at the handle and let the limbs come around when braced.  8)

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: IndianGuy on March 12, 2011, 01:14:54 am

Thanks Guys...Pat that is a style I make often here are pics of one that I finished a week ago. it is a few inches shorter, more reflex in the handle and appx 65 pds.

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: Timo on March 12, 2011, 01:16:57 am

Nice  outfit right there! Perhaps a little "Al Herrin" influence?

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: Ifrit617 on March 12, 2011, 01:26:14 am

Cool bows... I have to try one of these plains bows someday... Right now I'm making little NE Indian bows like the one I just posted. Welcome aboard ;D

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: JackCrafty on March 12, 2011, 01:54:12 am

Awesome!!   ;D  Always good to see such talent.

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: El Destructo on March 12, 2011, 01:56:53 am

Nice Bow there Eric....what part of Oklahoma you hale from? I live in the central Panhandle 6 hours from OKC

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: okiecountryboy on March 12, 2011, 01:59:54 am

IndianGuy

Nice looking bow. Really like the arrows as well.
Like to see a full draw pic.

What part of Oklahoma? Good to see another Okie here.

Ron

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: Eric Garza on March 12, 2011, 02:28:56 am

What's the string made from?

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: DEllis on March 12, 2011, 02:30:25 am

Welcome. Nice looking bows and arrows
That full draw pic of the first bow is awesome.
Darcy :)

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: Traxx on March 12, 2011, 03:28:56 am

Hey Eric!!
Good to see ya over here now too.
You guys just wait,This guy has lotsa cool stuff to show ya.

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: keef on March 12, 2011, 03:54:16 am

 Fantastic bows..I love the reflex in the handle. Thanks for posting

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: medicinewheel on March 12, 2011, 04:55:02 am

Very nice bow(s) and arrows; welcome to PA!

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: fusizoli on March 12, 2011, 08:14:02 am

Welcome! Great work, thanks for sharing! Waiting for the next posts  ;)

Love that arrows!

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: Del the cat on March 12, 2011, 09:23:22 am

Wow, excellent!
I love the semicircular tiller on that first one.
Great
Del

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: james parker on March 12, 2011, 10:28:54 am

nice bows and arrows eric,,welcome to the forum............

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: IndianGuy on March 12, 2011, 10:48:20 am

Thanks for the warm welcome Guys. ;D

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: crooketarrow on March 12, 2011, 10:52:00 am

    Nice bows and arrows.

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: Will H on March 12, 2011, 10:58:53 am

Welcome to PA! Great work, cant wait to see more!

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: Kegan on March 12, 2011, 11:05:23 am

Great looking set up, I love those Plains style sinew bows :)

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: sadiejane on March 12, 2011, 11:40:02 am

morning eric-any chance yr going to ojam?

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: osage outlaw on March 12, 2011, 11:53:03 am

Amazing looking bows and arrows.  Maybe I missed it, but do you make the strings out of sinew?

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: n2huntn on March 12, 2011, 11:54:07 am

Welcome and thanks for sharing such nice work.
Jeff

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: okie64 on March 12, 2011, 11:57:56 am

Sweet setup you got there. What part of Oklahoma you from? I'm in the Cherokee Nation just a few miles from the Arkansas state line.

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: gstoneberg on March 12, 2011, 12:03:05 pm

Beautiful bows and arrows.  Hope to see lots more.

George

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: IndianGuy on March 12, 2011, 12:13:43 pm

The strings on these bows are dacron b-50. However I do make sinew strings on occasion.

I am 90 ,miles south of OKC.

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: sweeney3 on March 12, 2011, 12:16:54 pm

Now that is a neat piece of work.  What method did you use to put that much setback in that narrow spot on the handle?  I guess what I am asking is a "How did you do it?" I might could squeeze a couple of short bows such as that from the one gnarly Osage on my place here.  There isn't enough clear wood on it for a real flat or long bow.  Well, not wood that I can work with, anyway.   ;)

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: ricktrojanowski on March 12, 2011, 12:17:34 pm

Welcome to the forum.  A great bunch of folks on here.  That is an outstanding bow.  Not to mention the arrows and the other you posted.  Tiller on the first bow posted,  is as good as it gets.  Short, sinew backed D bows are my favorite. And that one is a perfect example.  Fine work.

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: jwillis on March 12, 2011, 12:22:35 pm

Welcome to PA Eric. I agree with Pat, I love the way the limbs reflex at the handle then bend around at brace...makes a sweet looking profile. Jim

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: El Destructo on March 12, 2011, 12:34:04 pm

Quote from: IndianGuy on March 12, 2011, 12:13:43 pm

The strings on these bows are dacron b-50. However I do make sinew strings on occasion.

I am 90 ,miles south of OKC.

Springer...Gene Autry...Ardmore?? been all over those areas

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: bucksbuoy on March 12, 2011, 01:30:54 pm

how do you induce the reflex in the handle? I really like that style. Makes me want to go bunny hunting.

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: IndianGuy on March 12, 2011, 01:53:51 pm

As to the question on how this is done...there are several ways to put a "set back" in a bow. You can use, lard and heat, dry heat, or steam. Now when you use steam you are putting moisture back in the wood and this could cause checking and cracking so When stem is used you should coat the bow in some kind of sealer so it can cure slowly and loose the moisture without damaging the wood. I seal with bacon grease.
When you use lard and heat you are basically using the lard to lubricate the wood fibers to help protect them from the heating process.
And dry heat has to be done very carefully because you can not get the wood to hot or it will burn or split. So those are some of the methods that are used to achieve these bends. I would never reccomend boiling the wood if it's osage because the boiling although allows for great bends it seems to take something away from the wood.
Always degrease!
I will say that many bowyers prefer steam but to me that is the least favorable.
 The bows with the greatest set back are very difficult to make and tiller.

Eric

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: Sidewinder on March 12, 2011, 02:32:59 pm

Eric,

Love your work. Its nice to see someone that has that style mastered. I bet its a great hunting bow being a shiort as it is. The tiller on the first one is as good as it gets. The second one is good too but the first one looks perfect. Glad your here.
 Are you familiar with Ojam. Its south of Stillwater near Perkins. The dates are Mar17-21 and there are alot of self bowyers gonna be there. Great camping, bow and arrow making, flintknapping 3d shooting and at night around the fires story telling. you should come if you can.  Danny

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: HatchA on March 12, 2011, 02:55:47 pm

Welcome Eric, like your work VERY much!!

Great looking arrows.  Turkey tail feathers?  How've you attached them to the shafts?

Also - you NEED to post a build-along on how you make your trade points!!  :)  I've got some from Kustom King for my tonkin shafts but would love to make my own some day.

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: keef on March 12, 2011, 04:41:32 pm

 Great advice Indianguy.. I will take heed of your views on heat treating and bending, This is invaluable to me as i'm starting out in the world of bowmaking.
I too would love to see a build along on one of your fine bows

Cheers

keith

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: George Tsoukalas on March 12, 2011, 05:46:49 pm

Very nice bows. You do excellent work! Jawge

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: SA on March 12, 2011, 06:01:15 pm

really like the bow.     im in norman good to see more oklahomans here

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: Traxx on March 12, 2011, 06:13:02 pm

Wait till you guys see more pics of his work.Eric does real nice skin and beadwork as well.Hes been known to do some great buidalongs too.And he's even a real live Native American.
Sorry Eric,I just had ta throw that in there.I know you understand.LOL

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: IndianGuy on March 12, 2011, 06:21:30 pm

Hello Jawge!  :)
Traxx, your killing me kere! LOL

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: n2huntn on March 12, 2011, 06:33:42 pm

We love build alongs!!! :D Dont keep us waiting.

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: Lee Slikkers on March 12, 2011, 06:57:35 pm

Great looking bows!  Welcome to Pa as well (I'm new here too but didn't nearly as much to the table) and I look forward to seeing more of your work, especially any beadwork or stuff with skins, feathers, etc.

 

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: dismount on March 12, 2011, 08:03:46 pm

cool bow set! Are you gonna show up at OJAM?? What town are you from? I'm South OKC

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: Buckeye Guy on March 12, 2011, 09:48:55 pm

WELCOME TO PA !!!
Awesome work, love it !!

Title: Re: Plains Indian Osage bow (Pics)
Post by: SA on March 13, 2011, 05:52:32 am

Quote from: Traxx on March 12, 2011, 06:13:02 pm

Wait till you guys see more pics of his work.Eric does real nice skin and beadwork as well.Hes been known to do some great buidalongs too.And he's even a real live Native American.
Sorry Eric,I just had ta throw that in there.I know you understand.LOL

real live indian hmm not sure ive ever seen one of those ;D