Author Topic: Made 1st English HAZEL flat Bow  (Read 7828 times)

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Offline globalmark

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Made 1st English HAZEL flat Bow
« on: May 08, 2019, 11:51:01 am »
Comments - questions - critiques and suggestions how can do anything better appreciated .


OK about a year ago i cut a few 4-5" diameter english hedgerow HAZELnut - this stuff is everywhere in the UK countryside - its about 11months kept debarked , split and made large staves - ends sealed with PVA and kept in Garage roof flat (same temp as outside)
Normally you can Make a English Longbow with Hazel and is supposedly pretty good - but i had enough English longbows with the Yew ones i made on other Post - so though see how they make a Flat Bow ...
not quite finished as putting oil on then wrap Handle .. but its Surprisingly a great Bow - shoots fast and accurate , very light weight and quite springy - also very nice to work with - used a Block plane after drawknife seemed to work better then a rasp - then file and sand ..
its only a light Bow as I wanted something my friends Kids could also shoot and was a experiment 23LBS and easy 30" but i like it even for a adult ..
couple pics and more will come when finished .
Pics

Log was cut from this 1 year ago - was already a fallen over but still growing little
Bow next to one the other staves
Bow and stave
Bow - brown bits are remaining cambium - as didn't do much to this outside layer
« Last Edit: May 08, 2019, 12:02:28 pm by globalmark »

Offline globalmark

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Re: Made 1st English HAZEL flat Bow
« Reply #1 on: May 08, 2019, 11:58:22 am »
Side profile
Temp string
Ironwood nocks
Tillering

Offline globalmark

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Re: Made 1st English HAZEL flat Bow
« Reply #2 on: May 08, 2019, 12:01:36 pm »
Filed - sanded 120 -240Grit then sanding sealer - and used Finishing oil (bit like danish but dries faster and is clearer)
Oak Arrow rest
Oak arrow rest - cut to same profile as handle
1st coat of Oil - did this morning can get 3rd coat on tonight before bed - couple more coats tomorrow then dry and handle wrap time.
better start making string for it ..

Offline Deerhunter21

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Re: Made 1st English HAZEL flat Bow
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2019, 12:17:42 pm »
Looking very good!
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Offline globalmark

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Re: Made 1st English HAZEL flat Bow
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2019, 12:28:56 pm »
Cheers Mate

Actually very nice wood to work with - a fast build also - helps that UK hedgerow Hazel can be fairly straight and not to many Knots - i have more staves this was my worst one - I always use worst stave first - for practice ..

Offline burchett.donald

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Re: Made 1st English HAZEL flat Bow
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2019, 12:34:21 pm »
  Mark,
            I can tell from your post you had a blast...Congrats on the Hazel
                                                                                                                 Don
Genesis 27:3 Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;

Offline stuckinthemud

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Re: Made 1st English HAZEL flat Bow
« Reply #6 on: May 08, 2019, 02:32:41 pm »
Hazel makes a very very nice bow, i have a 35# hazel longbow that seems to be my main goto   bow. Congrats on a fine bow.

Offline SLIMBOB

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Re: Made 1st English HAZEL flat Bow
« Reply #7 on: May 08, 2019, 02:43:15 pm »
Tller looks pretty good!  Congrats on a fine bow.
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Offline globalmark

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Re: Made 1st English HAZEL flat Bow
« Reply #8 on: May 08, 2019, 03:16:57 pm »
HI Guys
Thanks for all the nice comments - I had no idea Hazel was such a nice bow wood - i knew was ok longbows - will have to make a few more as Hazel is like a WEED here so many straight logs and is commonly coppiced..
Fast to make easy to Tiller - like 2 days total at the most - what more do you want - yew bow takes a lot longer ..
This one very Light weight so next maybe bit more powerful one ..

Offline DC

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Re: Made 1st English HAZEL flat Bow
« Reply #9 on: May 08, 2019, 04:00:40 pm »
I've made two Hazel bows and noticed the same things. Likes a plane, doesn't like a rasp. What caught me was that it takes a lot of Hazel to make a bow. It will surprise you and come under weight. They like to be fat.

Offline Del the cat

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Re: Made 1st English HAZEL flat Bow
« Reply #10 on: May 09, 2019, 02:12:08 am »
Nice...
It prefers to be that style to being a longbow :)
Makes a pretty bow.
Del
Health warning, these posts may contain traces of nut.

Offline simk

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Re: Made 1st English HAZEL flat Bow
« Reply #11 on: May 09, 2019, 02:20:02 am »
Nice Bow! :BB Hazel is good stuff generally but also lot's of variation within species - some staves like to chrysal badly. Hazel is extremly good in tension, but no so in compression. Likes to be heat treated and also likes to be speed dried. You can cut it any time of the year...Cheers
« Last Edit: May 09, 2019, 02:38:11 am by simk »
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Offline globalmark

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Re: Made 1st English HAZEL flat Bow
« Reply #12 on: May 09, 2019, 12:25:01 pm »
HI Guys

Thanks for comments thats all interesting -

Sink-  maybe next bow will heat treat the Belly - did that on a couple of Bamboo reflex bows and also looks nice - dry all my wood in rafters of garage as best space laying flat - but good to know can speed dry -

Del - prefers to be a Flat Bow ? OK -good to know  i originally cut the staves to make longbows but must admit i like making all different styles - so probably end up with a few types , and here in UK hazel free and pretty straight ..

Fatter - check , yes i was surprised by low weight with almost 2" wides near the fades and still is fairly thick .. - did you make flat Bows also ?

Didn't do much today  but decided on arrow plate for looks mainly as might stick bit of cow hide (with hair) - so cut the slot and inset a piece offcuts IPE makes nice contrast and a very hard so should be good ..- then couple more coats oil..
« Last Edit: May 09, 2019, 12:31:16 pm by globalmark »

Offline leonwood

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Re: Made 1st English HAZEL flat Bow
« Reply #13 on: May 09, 2019, 12:40:55 pm »
Good work! I love hazel!

Offline bassman

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Re: Made 1st English HAZEL flat Bow
« Reply #14 on: May 09, 2019, 01:08:52 pm »
Nice bow. Ishi used hazel for arrows for sure,and maybe bows also.