Author Topic: Eskimo Cable-backed bow needed help - taking shape!  (Read 37818 times)

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Offline swamp monkey

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Eskimo Cable-backed bow needed help - taking shape!
« on: January 22, 2012, 06:07:04 pm »
I have an Eskimo style cable backed bow in the works.  I was nearly done – or so I thought, then I discovered I was wrong.  I tillered the un-backed bow to 50# at 28” and had no trouble.  Then I put the cables on and bound them.  The process took me about two hours.  I restrung the bow and proceeded to get data for an F-D graph.  When I pulled the bow to 26” the bow string slipped off the post nock. The bow leapt off the tillering tree, while my heart leapt into my esophagus.  Close examination of the bow shows no damage.   I am almost certain this occurred because the cabling used the same post as the bow string which makes the nock effectively shorter due to crowding. 
I have already determined that I will take the cabling off and fix this.   My first thought is to file the grooves deeper To make the post “longer” so to speak.  My other thought is to steam bend the end a bit to change the string angle.   That option is uncharted territory  for me as I have placed boiled linseed oil and tru oil on the exterior.  I thought I was done.   So if I do will this recurve be a working recurve and how would it work with the cabling?  I will post pics of the finished nock end. after this post.   
So before I get too much further into this I wanted to throw this out there to PA land to get some thoughts from other experienced bowyers. 

Specs
  • Hickory with cherry handle stiffener.  TL =55 ½”
    Post nocks = Ύ” tall and Ό” dia.
    Limbs 2” wide over most of the limb.  Tapers to 1 Ό” over the last 4” of limb length, Ό” thick.
Suggestions welcome. 
« Last Edit: January 28, 2012, 08:20:59 pm by swamp monkey »

Offline swamp monkey

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Re: Eskimo Cable-backed bow needs help
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2012, 06:18:54 pm »
I take that back, one ear on the upper nock end must have hit the ceiling and gotten damaged.  You can see it in the pics.  Any how you can see how much room the cabling takes up on the post nock.
« Last Edit: January 22, 2012, 06:26:02 pm by swamp monkey »

Offline Lee Slikkers

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Re: Eskimo Cable-backed bow needs help
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2012, 06:45:08 pm »
I always enjoying seeing your projects and work but your attention to detail is becoming mind-blowing to me.  Very inspirational to me and my work as I move forward in my skills & journey.  Thank you for your contributions to this site, it is threads like these that make this place such an amazing resource.

Cheers my friend!
~ Lee

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant: 'What good is it?"
— Aldo Leopold
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Offline JackCrafty

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Re: Eskimo Cable-backed bow needs help
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2012, 06:54:47 pm »
Yep, I would make the post longer.  I think the real bows have a bulb on the tip that was either built up with sinew or carved into the wood.
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Offline swamp monkey

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Re: Eskimo Cable-backed bow needs help
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2012, 07:12:01 pm »
Yep, I would make the post longer.  I think the real bows have a bulb on the tip that was either built up with sinew or carved into the wood.

I pondered that a bit before posting but dismissed it.  But since you brought it up I am reconsidering . . .  hmmmm.

Lee, thanks for the positive feedback.  Comments like that are fuel to the machine.  Many thanks.

Offline half eye

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Re: Eskimo Cable-backed bow needs help
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2012, 08:38:44 pm »
Swamp,
      Most all the cable backs I've seen that have the knocks like you carved, only had 2/3 maincord wraps on the knocks and then @ succeeding run down the bow was soldier hitched around the outside of the limb tips to form the part you have bound around the bow at that point.
      I do not believe you would go wrong with taking jackcrafty's advice and just make the pin "longer" and retie it the way that it is in the photo's ya posted. There are a great many ways to do the cable/string problem and the NA's of the region used a vast array of different types....yours would be no different.
rich

Offline tattoo dave

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Re: Eskimo Cable-backed bow needs help
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2012, 09:13:43 pm »
I love it!!, especially the tips. I'm working on a cedar bow right now, and was trying to come up with some different nocks. I think I'll be tryin those out on a bow or two. Thanks for the inspiration ;D Please keep us posted, I've always wanted to make a cable backed bow.

Tattoo Dave
Rockford, MI

Offline coaster500

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Re: Eskimo Cable-backed bow needs help
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2012, 10:38:34 pm »
Something new "for me" all the time on PA!!!

I have trouble tying my shoes some days :)
Inspiration, information and instruction by the ton and it's free,,, such a deal :)

Offline swamp monkey

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Re: Eskimo Cable-backed bow needs help
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2012, 11:27:10 pm »
Well, I cut er all off.  It turned out for the best because I wanted to know how much cable I used.  65 feet.   I will file the nocks tonight.  I may rough up the tip so I can apply a small wad of sinew as a bulbous stop.   This week I hope to reapply the cable and take photos of the process.  I will keep ya'll posted.  Thanks for the input and encouragement.

Offline seabass

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Re: Eskimo Cable-backed bow needs help
« Reply #9 on: January 23, 2012, 01:03:39 am »
please keep us posted.i am very interested in this.thanks for the look.good luck,Steve
Middletown,Ohio

Offline DRon knife

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Re: Eskimo Cable-backed bow needs help
« Reply #10 on: January 23, 2012, 01:47:07 am »
Hey that's fine work!! I am wondering about something tho...are those little nocks gonna take that that amount of strain,I cant help but wonder if the pressure from the cables pulling one way and the string in the other will isolate that small amount of wood putting great stress on it. Half eye mentioned that the original design (which I've never seen before) had progressive strands and that may be why!! you've unwrapped it already,so see if you can rework it....Idk just a thought!! I can definitely see me making a bow like that,its so cool!!Good luck and lets see more,Ron
« Last Edit: January 23, 2012, 04:10:39 pm by DRon knife »

Offline swamp monkey

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Re: Eskimo Cable-backed bow needs help
« Reply #11 on: January 23, 2012, 10:17:16 am »
Ron,  The bigger knots are on the wrapping bands and do not take the strain that the cable takes.   Nylon does not make knots that hold easily so when I got to the end I knotted it a little more elaborately than the NAs would have due to my material.  My worry was mass  :D

Offline half eye

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Re: Eskimo Cable-backed bow needs help
« Reply #12 on: January 23, 2012, 11:35:55 am »
Swamp,
      I couldn't get the site to take my museum pics, but here are some pics I took from one of books, might give ya some ideas.....sorry for the poor resolution.
rich

Offline swamp monkey

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Re: Eskimo Cable-backed bow needs help
« Reply #13 on: January 23, 2012, 09:20:52 pm »
Rich, those pics are indeed inspiring.  I wonder what diameter that cord is.   These bows really amaze me.  Thanks for posting. 

Offline Hrothgar

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Re: Eskimo Cable-backed bow needs help
« Reply #14 on: January 23, 2012, 09:29:39 pm »
Swamp Monkey, very nice looking bow! I posted some pics back in Nov. of a cable bow I made , but didn't really follow any design. I used long square nocks, looped one end and tied the other. I think you could probably just file your nocks so the string groove is deeper; if that doesn't work you can always wrap a short piece of artifical sinew around the bow string and tie it off whenever you brace it, this will keep it from slipping off.
" To be, or not to be"...decisions, decisions, decisions.