Author Topic: Osage selfbow "Fade to Black"  (Read 4796 times)

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Offline Stickhead

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Osage selfbow "Fade to Black"
« on: April 27, 2020, 07:21:18 am »
Here’s my hunting bow quarantine project.  I like them to be shortish and pretty heavy, to compensate for my short draw length.  I also like to darken the limbs for camo.  (I can’t bring myself to cover up all that yellow Osage, but it’ll darken up soon enough, and the bow will be pretty much invisible in the woods.)

This was a stave I harvested about twenty years ago.  It had some knotty issues, so it languished in my shed all this time.  Once I started carving it, though, it wasn’t so bad after all.  I dodged the worst of the knots, and the twists and curves were workable.  It just ended up with a few lumps and wiggles.  I used dry heat and my caul to get the profile I wanted.

I had a scare when I got it to full draw for the first time.  I heard a heart-stopping “TICK,” braced myself for a “BANG,” but thankfully, it was just a small splinter that lifted near one of the pin knots.  I got some good advice from y’all, and decided to bind the spot with a small wrapping of D97 to be on the safe side.  At first, I thought I saw a weak spot at the wrap, but I think it just appears that way because of a pin knot lump on the back just below it.

I added deer antler tips, a tanned cobra skin wrap (with a layer of linen underneath to keep it from tearing) and a snapping turtle scale at the arrow pass.  The string is 10 strands of D97 plus 4 extra bits at the nocks.  I used black aniline dye to fade the limbs, and finished with tru oil.

The has a smooth draw that starts out strong.  After a couple hundred arrows, it’s still in one piece (whew!), and is holding its profile nicely.  It shoots straight and packs a punch.

Specs:

59” NTN
65# @ 25”
1-5/8“ wide @ fades
7/16” @ tips
1-1/2” back set at nocks













Offline Eric Krewson

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Re: Osage selfbow "Fade to Black"
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2020, 07:39:56 am »
I like it!.

Offline PaSteve

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Re: Osage selfbow "Fade to Black"
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2020, 07:57:38 am »
Very nice bow. Like the way you used the analine dye. It gives the bow contrast but the wood grain is still evident through the dye. You did a good with that stave.
"It seems so much more obvious with bows than with other matters, that we are the guardians of the prize we seek." Dean Torges

Offline Deerhunter21

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Re: Osage selfbow "Fade to Black"
« Reply #3 on: April 27, 2020, 07:59:37 am »
this makes me want to work on some osage!! unfortunately im all out of staves. but im working on a bow!  ;D
Life before death. Strength before weakness. Journey before destination.

Offline Weylin

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Re: Osage selfbow "Fade to Black"
« Reply #4 on: April 27, 2020, 08:58:54 am »
That's sharp! I like it. Nice bend too

Offline Stixnstones

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Re: Osage selfbow "Fade to Black"
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2020, 09:08:48 am »
All around great bow, that's what I call a huntin bow
DevilsBeachSelfbows

Offline Will B

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Re: Osage selfbow "Fade to Black"
« Reply #6 on: April 27, 2020, 09:13:31 am »
Great looking bow!  I love the stain job on the outer limbs and the antler tip overlays. Nice bend to it. Great job!

Offline BowEd

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Re: Osage selfbow "Fade to Black"
« Reply #7 on: April 27, 2020, 09:30:01 am »
Nice work all around in all phases of profile and finish work.A good hard hitting shooter.
BowEd
You got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything.
Ed

Offline Tommy D

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Re: Osage selfbow "Fade to Black"
« Reply #8 on: April 27, 2020, 09:43:47 am »
Either you’ve shot out your Block or that bow packs a punch. What weight arrows are those? Love the bow. I have a similar issue with a draw that isn’t as long as it could be.

Offline Swampman

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Re: Osage selfbow "Fade to Black"
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2020, 09:52:08 am »
Very nice bow.  I really like the fade job and at 65 pounds I bet it throws heavy hunting arrows nicely.

Offline Stickhead

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Re: Osage selfbow "Fade to Black"
« Reply #10 on: April 27, 2020, 10:14:38 am »
Thanks for the kind words, guys!

Either you’ve shot out your Block or that bow packs a punch. What weight arrows are those? Love the bow. I have a similar issue with a draw that isn’t as long as it could be.
Tommy - the target’s not shot out, but I might need a tougher one.  Those arrows average around 520 grains.

Offline dreamcraft_archery

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Re: Osage selfbow "Fade to Black"
« Reply #11 on: April 27, 2020, 11:10:48 am »
Love it great work!

Offline Allyn T

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Re: Osage selfbow "Fade to Black"
« Reply #12 on: April 27, 2020, 12:08:55 pm »
That thing is sweet
In the woods I find my peace

Offline Rākau

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Re: Osage selfbow "Fade to Black"
« Reply #13 on: April 27, 2020, 02:10:39 pm »
wicked profiles on that one!

Offline Hans H

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Re: Osage selfbow "Fade to Black"
« Reply #14 on: April 27, 2020, 02:20:09 pm »
very nice, like it, too
Hans
Hans,      Bavaria, Germany