Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: Ruddy Darter on March 01, 2021, 06:26:02 pm

Title: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: Ruddy Darter on March 01, 2021, 06:26:02 pm

Hi all,
 I got into some carving during lockdown along side of some bow making and I made this shooting line bow rest out of some oak and British ash offcuts with some local Holly for the Fleur de lis and handle scales. It was a fun making and I thought I'd share it on here.
All the best,
R.D.

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: Pat B on March 01, 2021, 07:14:43 pm

I love your carving, RD and this is an exceptional and practical piece. Beautiful!   :OK :OK

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: Ruddy Darter on March 01, 2021, 07:36:25 pm

Thank you very much Pat B, I've enjoyed making this, I'm looking forward to working on a couple more I got on the go. The Holly is a real pleasure to work.
 R.D.

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: Pat B on March 02, 2021, 12:04:19 am

Do you find that holly checks easily? I had a friend that loved carving holly but some of his pieces checked. He did a real cool pig from a holly tree trunk but it checked pretty deeply along the back.
 The color contrasts in your piece really sets it off.  :OK

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: Hawkdancer on March 02, 2021, 01:42:39 am

That is an excellent piece of carving!!  My bow would be proud to rest on that! :OK :OK :OK
Hawkdancer

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: Lehtis on March 02, 2021, 01:52:35 am

Wow!

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: chamookman on March 02, 2021, 03:25:28 am

Outstanding  (A) ! Bob

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: Ruddy Darter on March 02, 2021, 05:00:24 am

Thank you all, I greatly appreciate the comments.
Pat B, Holly that has moisture is very prone to heavy checking, and Holly harvested in the growing season will most probably check. The Holly I have was cut by the council and left on the ground in spring 3 or 4 years back and lucky timing I grabbed a heap, it all checked heavily even with sealer but I have nice pieces adequate for my carving applications. Once fully seasoned there should be no further checking problem, the stuff I got is rock hard and feels unbreakable by hand with a plasticky quality to it and It polishes to a marble like smoothness, those securing pegs on each end are holly and you'd be hard pressed to break one of those. I read on the wood data base there is a slight difference between the UK and U.S. species. If I ever cut some I will wait till early February, split it, keep the bark on and seal the ends, and probably seal the bark too. It's a very dense wood that needs to slow dry initially. Cleaned and off the ground to avoid too much grey spalting. Finished carvings etc need sealing well with oil wax and such like as I reckon it may absorb moisture and swell check or warp possibly (?).
One more central pic in a softer light, a little off centre with some of the dowelling thanks to a rattling old hand drill. :-\
 R.D.

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: BrianS on March 02, 2021, 12:20:08 pm

Excellent craftmanship!

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: Deerhunter21 on March 02, 2021, 12:52:35 pm

That's beautiful! wow!

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: Ruddy Darter on March 03, 2021, 02:48:22 am

BrianS and Deerhunter21, thank you very much,

 R.D.

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: bjrogg on March 03, 2021, 08:09:08 am

Always enjoy your carving Ruddy.
Thanks for sharing
Bjrogg

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: Ruddy Darter on March 03, 2021, 08:56:24 am

Thank you bjrogg,
 I'm always impressed with the work and care you and others on this forum put into your bow making and likes, so a positive feedback makes the effort all the more worthwhile. I've yet to get a result on the bow making side of things that I can truly say I am happy with it but I am working on an Ash warbow at present, it's the same batch of wood that I've used on the bow rest along side the holly, all going well they will make a nice paring. All going good at present, just slowly getting it to a brace.

R.D.

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: YosemiteBen on March 03, 2021, 05:48:03 pm

Beautiful work - one more thing I do not have time to devote to....

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: stuckinthemud on March 03, 2021, 06:31:24 pm

Very beautiful, love it.

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: Stoner on March 03, 2021, 10:35:25 pm

WELL DONE, GREAT CRAFTSMANSHIP!!! John

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: Pappy on March 04, 2021, 08:02:24 am

Beautiful work for sure, takes time, lots of patients and talent to do something like that.  :)
 Pappy

Title: Re: Wood carving bow rest
Post by: Ruddy Darter on March 04, 2021, 04:46:36 pm

Thank you very much for your kind comments.
I've made some progress on the Ash bow, going well at present.  :BB  R.D.