Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Bows => Topic started by: simson on May 15, 2015, 05:14:45 pm
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This is barberry, lat. berberis.
A little shrub or bush where seldom a stave can found from. If anyone is here with experience with that wood - I would like to here more.
I have known of the beauty color of that wood.
So you could imagine my smile when this stave was generously donated to me by my good friend Erwin from Austria. Thanks for that really rare wood. It was a stick of 1¼” diameter in the middle. It had some imperfections: One limb with reflex o. k., the other with extreme bend; one limb twisted; one limb with sideway bend of about 5”; really deep drying cracks; one limb began to rot (fungus).
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%201%20von%2022_zpsskdctpr9.jpg)
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%202%20von%2022_zpshijjkqyj.jpg)
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%203%20von%2022_zpsc0k6g1i6.jpg)
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%204%20von%2022_zps8katllis.jpg)
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%205%20von%2022_zpsdlnlhand.jpg)
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%206%20von%2022_zpsax7gah6c.jpg)
The color of this wood inside is incredible - it is a bright green, hard to get pics that shows the beauty. On the back is a deep green you can see some reddish stripes in one limb in the other the fungus have left the grey or black flecks.
This is what I did with that stave:
I did several steaming and heating seasons with that wood, but it seems it always wanted to return in its original shape. Don't got it 100% where I wanted, so the lines doesn't look that perfect on that bow.
Front
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%207%20von%2022_zpswgg273fs.jpg)
side with a good amount of reflex
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%208%20von%2022_zpsaztzpo3j.jpg)
braced with the kink at arrow pass
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%209%20von%2022_zpskt52owu9.jpg)
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%2010%20von%2022_zps06owiptc.jpg)
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%2011%20von%2022_zpsircbodvn.jpg)
The stave was cut in an angle, I let it be like it was and did a single kerfe nock on the upper and a 'normal' double kerfe on the lower.
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%2012%20von%2022_zpslhrtqr7w.jpg)
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%2013%20von%2022_zpslc6mntc9.jpg)
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%2014%20von%2022_zpshquedyrf.jpg)
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%2015%20von%2022_zpszkeiwxj7.jpg)
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%2021%20von%2022_zpsmjoyhdy3.jpg)
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%2022%20von%2022_zpsmwxblxih.jpg)
Nothing is added to that bow, except a burned mark for arrow position and the string.
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%2018%20von%2022_zpsocip14ql.jpg)
reflex of unbraced bow
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%2019%20von%2022_zpsczgxibux.jpg)
knotty back, upper limb in foreground
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%2020%20von%2022_zpsiy7mesrn.jpg)
No color, no dye on that stick.
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%2017%20von%2022_zpshvmrywko.jpg)
A crack filled with super glue, not a drying crack but windcheck or torsion
(http://i1252.photobucket.com/albums/hh576/orangesimson/1505%20barberry/berberis%20from%20Erwin%20-%2016%20von%2022_zpsbwxjjzff.jpg)
The diameter was small and I wanted to go for max. width. The high crown would cause a stiff stick, I decided to go for a gentle kinda HLD (hollowed limb) to use the whole width. And it worked great. Holds a reflex of 4”.
The wood is dense, not far away from osage, but more homogenous – not that great difference in early wood and late wood. Very springy, set is less than ½”. I count it high as bow wood, to bad it is that rare.
58” ntn, pulls in mid forty at 26" - pretty tough for that little stick ...
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that is a beauty.
excellent work.
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Your work is amazing....... just amazing.
DBar
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That sir is this old mans "cup of tea" very nice. You managed to preserve the "early bow" look and feel with excellent performance. If ya lived up here I would get you and that bow out amongst the whitetail deer sir !!!!!
exceptional bow Simon
rich
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Incredible work Simon. The simplicity of that bow in no way shows the work I know it took to get it there.
Jon
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Wow! That is a simply beautiful bow right there! I love your work Simson!
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You are a magician of woodworking Simon!
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Great looking bow. It reminds me of some of the small diameter ocean spray bows.
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That's a really cool bow.I like it. Great work . God Bless
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Sweet bow Simon. I love how understated it is, it's very primitive and very well made. Excellent work
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Nice bow! The biggest Barberry I've seen was just big enough to carve a chess piece. It has a nice bright color. Do you know how it ages.
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Nice fishtail nock!!! Cool bow :)
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That's a nice looking bow. Nice work.
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Wow very cool bow. That wood sounds amazing, reminds me of ocean spray as well, except prettier
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Nice! You got a nice bow out of that rugged looking stick of a stave Simon. Great bend on the full draw, you sure know how to tame 'em.
To me the back, belly grain and wild character of that wood looks like the buckthorn growing around here only with different coloring.
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That sir is this old mans "cup of tea" very nice. You managed to preserve the "early bow" look and feel with excellent performance. If ya lived up here I would get you and that bow out amongst the whitetail deer sir !!!!!
exceptional bow Simon
rich
Thanks Rich, one day I will be there and knocking on your door - bow and arrows in my hands ;)
Incredible work Simon. The simplicity of that bow in no way shows the work I know it took to get it there.
Jon
Yes Jon, you're right it took some time and effort to get that babe coming along
Nice bow! The biggest Barberry I've seen was just big enough to carve a chess piece. It has a nice bright color. Do you know how it ages.
That stick wasn't that big, as said is was only 1¼” diameter - but hard to find even such a stick like this. I have no idea how it ages, but I have reduced the stave because of the drying checks (didn't want to get them through the complete stave). This was a few month ago and I noticed no remarkable changing in color.
Nice! You got a nice bow out of that rugged looking stick of a stave Simon. Great bend on the full draw, you sure know how to tame 'em.
To me the back, belly grain and wild character of that wood looks like the buckthorn growing around here only with different coloring.
I know what you mean, Greg. I still have your knotty Carla in mind.
Thanks all, I appriciate all your comments.
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Great work Simon. How's it shoot.
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Your artistry with wood continues to delight me Simon. I swear, I believe you could tiller a wooden match stick :-)
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Man, talk about a stick and a string....... just amazing!
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Top notch. :)
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Nice! You got a nice bow out of that rugged looking stick of a stave Simon. Great bend on the full draw, you sure know how to tame 'em.
To me the back, belly grain and wild character of that wood looks like the buckthorn growing around here only with different coloring.
I was thinking the the same the same thing greg.
Fantastic job on thst one again.
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Fine job!
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beautiful craftmanship
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Well done!
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Simson,
Awesome sapling bow! Love the nocks 8) Bend looks perfect at usual 8)
Don