Primitive Archer

2" wide at the fades with a very slight taper to 1.75" wide 10" from the tips; so nearly 2" wide for most of its length.

Is this width profile what makes it a "Comstock design"

(still looking for his book, it around somewhere)
It was the first bow I built, and book I bought many years back. needless to say it suffered from many of the faults of a first build, but I never thought to try the design again....hmmm

very nice work BTW, I like the tiller and finish.

Bow is finished and has sent two dozen arrows down range.
4/8" set one limb, 7/8 on the other. I need to have more bend in the middle before bracing and before getting past 15".
I know white oak takes a bit more set, but 1/2 " is my goal presently, my personal standard. I simply messed up that limb.

Tracing paper is going to be used from now on. Worked well.

Bow is light, about 41.5 on scale so 43 max pondage on fingers, I guess.  Shoots well, and lighter bows are much easier for me to shoot.

I'd love to open a new discussion on Paul Comstock's design from The Bent Stick and TBB1. I made several a couple years ago and really liked the way they shot. There wasn't a noteworthy amount of speed loss or hand shock. Donny Dust has one of my first in this design and has been putting it through the wringer for years.

I searched the archives and wasn't able to find much other than people recommending The Bent Stick. How many of you make and hunt with these? There aren't many examples on PA or PaleoPlanet.

If you love it, why? If you hate it, why? Anyone have photos to share?

I've got one made of Hackberry in the works right now. It's being done "by the book". The stave was seasoned for 2 months, the blank roughed out, and is now sitting in a hot box at 103 degrees. It's 2" wide at the fades with a very slight taper to 1.75" wide 10" from the tips; so nearly 2" wide for most of its length. I went with 64" length instead of 66", because he recommends a 66" bow for up to 29" draw and mine is 26 inches.

I'll post the completed bow when it's finished. The few before this one were between 68-72" long so I'm looking forward to seeing how a shorter one shoots.

One in the hot box.




One I made a couple years ago for Donny. It pulls 62# and didn't take any string follow. The stave had a minor deflex spot that was placed in the handle/fade area of the limb to the right in the profile shots.

All around spot on! Beautifully tillered. Love everything about that bow!

I’ve never heard of that but, I remember picking the greens when I was a kid and my mom cooked them and we ate them. Don’t remember the taste at all.