Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Bow of the Month Contest => Topic started by: OldBow on December 06, 2007, 12:52:34 pm

Title: Check Out Justin Blunt's Backed Bow of the Month, the November Winner
Post by: OldBow on December 06, 2007, 12:52:34 pm
November's Backed Bow of the Month: Justin Blunt of Greenville, Illinois
Bamboo Backed Recurve

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,4124.0.html
Here is a bow that I started back in July. I have been pretty busy since then so I had to make time to finish it up, all it needed was tip overlays and a finish to complete. This was my first attempt at Yew and also a backed recurve and it proved to be quite a challenge. The Yew wasn't a challenge ,it is a wonderful wood to work with, the curves didn't line up very well after glue up so I had to do a little heat straightening, which was a bit scary because of the possibility of the glue joint seperating, but it worked just fine.
I built this bow with with no owner in mind, just a fun experiment. If the draw weight would come out to my liking I would probably keep it for myself but the tillering proved to be a little more challenging than I anticipated, since I lhave made several R/D BBO's with great results I had no idea the recurves would give me so much trouble tillering. I was trying to achieve a 55# draw weight but she came in at 45#, not really that big of a deal just not what I am used to.  After shooting this bow for the first time I was pretty amazed by its speed,  shooting my 55# spined arrows, well, as straight as an arrow.  Well to make a short story even longer, our family was over for Thanksgiving the other night and my nephew, who is now 13 was wondering If I could make him another bow with more draw weight. So I let him shoot this bow and it fit like a glove! He enjoyed shooting it alot and it was a lot of fun watching him shoot it. He doesn't know it yet but it will be his X-mas present this year.
I used steam to bend the core and bamboo. I was definately going for a big curve but lost some of it while tillering. I definately learned alot about tillering these type of bows. The early string weight really throws you off. I have it figured out in my head for tillering the next one, hopefully sometime this winter.
Here are the bows specs, 45#@26", 60" NTN, bamboo back Yew belly, 1 1/4" starting at fade to midlimb tapering to less than 3/8 tips, horn tip overlays. The bamboo is dyed with black aniline dye and I used my finger to give it a fiddle back look. The strike plate is turtle shell and the shelf is layered leather set with CA.

-"Justin,That bow is gorgeous.I like the dye job on the boo." -mullet
-"That much recurve is challenging to tiller.  Really fools you early on to take a lot of wood off.  Really a gorgeous implement.
" -snedeker
-"very impressive!   that is one gorgeous  bow, very nice work. I bet it is a snappy shooter. bamboo and yew is a deadly combination, light and fast." -juniper junkie
-"Tips and handles often make the bow, tiller and everything else being equal. The handle on jbell's bow is a real bar raiser. Next goal: improve my handles!" -OldBow


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Title: Re: Check Out Justin Blunt's Backed Bow of the Month, the November Winner
Post by: Justin Snyder on December 06, 2007, 12:56:48 pm
Great looking bow Justin. The colors are great, both in the handle and on the back. Well deserved win. Justin
Title: Re: Check Out Justin Blunt's Backed Bow of the Month, the November Winner
Post by: Pappy on December 06, 2007, 01:01:05 pm
Congrats Justin,very nice job.The bow is beautiful and altho the others were very worthy
yours won out for me. :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: Check Out Justin Blunt's Backed Bow of the Month, the November Winner
Post by: Sidewinder on December 06, 2007, 01:16:21 pm
nicely done Justin, congratulations. By the way do you need another nephew? Danny
Title: Re: Check Out Justin Blunt's Backed Bow of the Month, the November Winner
Post by: DanaM on December 06, 2007, 01:51:12 pm
I knew you had a winner from the moment you posted her. What a beauty!
BTW I was going through my genealogy charts and it turns out I'm your long lost nephew ;) ;D
Title: Re: Check Out Justin Blunt's Backed Bow of the Month, the November Winner
Post by: Jbell on December 06, 2007, 02:59:46 pm
Thank you gentlemen! I was pretty surprised by all the votes for me considering all the awesome competition. Congrats to everyone, bunch of good lookin bows this month.

  My family seems to be growing ever since I built this bow! ;D
Title: Re: Check Out Justin Blunt's Backed Bow of the Month, the November Winner
Post by: John K on December 06, 2007, 03:09:24 pm
Thats an awsome bow Justin !  WOW !
Title: Re: Check Out Justin Blunt's Backed Bow of the Month, the November Winner
Post by: cowboy on December 06, 2007, 05:30:05 pm
Man Justin! Wish I could build em like that ;D. Congrats...
Title: Re: Check Out Justin Blunt's Backed Bow of the Month, the November Winner
Post by: ber643 on December 06, 2007, 07:11:50 pm
Great job, Jbell!

Your fine bow is also on my TBD pages, Page 15, Jbell. Thanks.
Title: Re: Check Out Justin Blunt's Backed Bow of the Month, the November Winner
Post by: Otoe Bow on December 06, 2007, 07:14:00 pm
THAT is sweeeeeet.   :o   :o  I love the fiddle-back look of the boo.  Besides the looks, a fine shooter no doubt. 

Otoe
Title: Re: Check Out Justin Blunt's Backed Bow of the Month, the November Winner
Post by: koan on December 06, 2007, 09:07:23 pm
Congrats...just an awesome bow....Brian
Title: Re: Check Out Justin Blunt's Backed Bow of the Month, the November Winner
Post by: mullet on December 06, 2007, 11:42:53 pm
   Beautiful bow Brian,the contrast in the wood is amazing.
Title: Re: Check Out Justin Blunt's Backed Bow of the Month, the November Winner
Post by: FlintWalker on December 07, 2007, 12:23:05 am
I believe that's the most beautiful backed bow I've EVER seen!
Title: Re: Check Out Justin Blunt's Backed Bow of the Month, the November Winner
Post by: medicinewheel on December 07, 2007, 02:04:23 am

wow, that was one obvious win!! - congratulations on a very beautifull bow!!!
frank
Title: Re: Check Out Justin Blunt's Backed Bow of the Month, the November Winner
Post by: Pat B on December 07, 2007, 10:56:11 am
This is an very beautiful bow and well built!  8) Congratulations. ;)     Pat
Title: Re: Check Out Justin Blunt's Backed Bow of the Month, the November Winner
Post by: Marc St Louis on December 08, 2007, 06:26:38 am
Congrats Justin. Well deserved win