short osage ?

[Rob W.]

I didn't want to post many pics of this bow because I thought I was about done with it. Now I'm not so sure.

What I have is a 57" NTN osage flat bow that holds 1.75" a little more than the last third. I have it tillered to about 55#@22"  I would like to get it to at least 55#@28.  I have a small stiff handle on it now. Osage Outlaw suggested making the handle bend if it was his. Now I'm looking at it wondering what I should do. I had already narrowed the handle down to an inch wide. What would you guys do try it with the stiff handle or make it bend.

Oh and thanks Osage O for your input. I just can't bring myself to take that handle off yet. 

[sleek]

Deflex your fades dow so the tips are 4 inches below the back of the bow, then reflex your tips up so they rest 2 inches below the back of the bow. I have done this three times with outatanding results.make sure you are reflexing the tips and making static recurves or its not going to work. The tips must also bend.

[bradsmith2010]

these are just my thoughts,, and many ways to approach your 28 inch goal,,,
in my experience  ,, 57 nock to nock,, would be pushing it for a 28 inch draw,, yes it has been done,, and more,,
but you increase the odds of your bow failing,,
if you are in love with the handle,, I would rawhide back it,, or put a thin layer of sinew,, thats just me,,
if you reduce the handle slightly so the whole bow works,,, your odds of success will increase with more working wood,,
Keep in mind, that the guys that say it will work with stiff handle at the 28 inch draw,, are guys with exceptional skill in tillering,,and intuition about bows from making millions of bows,, that may be U i don't know your skill level,,
that being said,, I would not try it,, I would shorten the draw,,or bend the handle,, back it or all of the above,, I am a chicken sometimes,, 

[JW_Halverson]

Two light layers of sinew would give you plenty of peace of mind and you could pull the full 28".

[sleek]

Oh man, sinew with the deflex fades and refleslx the tips back to the the back again. Thats a powerful profile and low stressed from the fades already being where the need to be and not flexing much at all, and the limbs doing all the qork with sinew, yes. Please do that.

[PEARL DRUMS]

You cant make that goal with what you have, alone. You need sinew to make that happen. Stop where you are and add 2 1/2 - 3 layers of sinew. Reverse brace the bow 6" and let it sit 4 weeks. Then finish tillering it out to 28". You will need the tips flipped, prior to sinew, to keep your string angle solid. Also be sure you get the limb working right into the fade. Even though you narrowed your grip, you still have depth. Between the two you can get that handle to budge a little with no ill effects. You want it to as a matter of fact. You need all the bend you can get everywhere you can get it. I made the same bow from yew, but 2" longer, which isn't much.

[Floridabowyer]

What PD said.

[Floridabowyer]

As a further note and more specifically. You should reduce thickness on that handle enough that you can feel it starting to move slightly in your hand at full draw.

[Rob W.]

Well, I haven't worked with sinew any. I guess I need to start reading.

Here is what it looked like before i started to tiller. It still has that profile with no set. And thanks for the help!

[Floridabowyer]

TBB V1 and make sure you utilize the PatM method of "smooth sinew made easy" as it is the only way in my opinion.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I did a sinew backed hackberry. Its posted in the Build Along section with all kinds of pics. Have a read, it might help. It's just one way to do it.

[BowEd]

From experience here you'll be surprised how much it'll work into the fades with sinew on the back of it.Doing what Pearly said will make your bow closer to a little rocket launcher,but you've got a little more work ahead of you then.Many times bows morph into something that a person does'nt plan on.Just remember you'll be keeping this bow for the rest of your life more than likely.

[Stick Bender]

Rob I just did my first sinew bow it's not very difficult just time consuming in prep,but made one mistake didn't weight what I put on so have no reference for the future also great chapter on sinew TBB 1 plus Jim Hamms book Bows & arrows of the Native Americans has a realy strait foward & easy way to do sinew  I think your bow with sinew would be wicked for its size & draw Good luck

[perry f.]

Looks like you'll be up to borrow TBB I soon

[Rob W.]

It sounds like I need to figure out where to get some sinew. I think back to all the deer over the years that I have let the sinew go to waste. 

Should I be concerned with flipping the tips and reverse bracing this bow after all the heat corrections I have made? This is what it started out looking like.