REALLY traditional bows

[tallguy]

i just read an article on how to make your own long bow, as well as arrows useing obsidian broadheads. looks like a lot of fun. has anyone here ever made and/or hunted with a bow they made themselfs? or for that matter, with stone or obsidian glass broadheads?

[Map Maker]

check out "the traditional bowyer's Bible" by jim hamm

It gives instructions how to make a bow. I bought the book cuz i thought, hey if native indians could do it with no tools should be a snap for me.
I read the book from cover to cover, went out in late season and found a good birch tree (hard to find yew around here)
chopped it down. thought it was frozen so i wouldnt have to worry about moisture content. Within a week it was so checked it was useless.
First time i think i ever gave up but wanted to bow hunt last year so i went and bought a compound. And learning the sport/skill.
My next phase will to be a buy a jack kempf tradional bow. Hopefully when i get comfortable with that and understand the mechanics of bows, ill go out and try to make my own bow again. Can guarantee it will be a few years though.
They do sell bow blanks at CAC for anyone interested.

[TreeGuy]

Tallguy, take Map's advice and just buy a blank. It'll save you a ton of grief.

Map, birch is as poor a choice as Manitoba maple and poplar. Their vascular systems (veins) are large and these trees generate a tremendous amount of hydrolic PSI. Thus once cut, they quickly lose any moisture (especially in this arid climate) and the wood splits.

Yew and oak is the best because they grow so slowly. I have a 4" diameter piece of bur oak that has at least 43 years of growth! They maintain their structure much better.

However, if you are commited to starting from scratch here's what I'd do. Pick a willow. It's a wood that will surprise you.

Also, I have given lots of wood and the odd burle to a wood turner who primarily makes bowls out of it and they are amazing. What he does is leave the bark ON, and seals all cuts or even nicks with bee's wax to seal the moisture IN. He then tarps it to keep it dry, leaves it outside and 3-4 years it's ready to work with. This process allows any moisture to osmoiss at a slow and steady rate while allowing the fibres to adapt gradually to the change, thus avoiding any splitting. It works most of the time. Good luck!

Tree

[tallguy]

ya, i think a blank is the order of the day. building steam and drying boxs is to much.

[chain2]

Yup..built a maple and elk sinew backed bow. Draw was about 25" @ 60lbs >59" O.A.,
I killed the elk and saved the sinue[tendons] dried and pounded them into fibre boiled rawhide and hooves to form gel [6 hrs]. Applied it [like fibreglass] to the maple and scraped it down to get the tiller.
Tanned my own buckskin grip and oiled it [not with bear grease thou] to keep it dry.
Practiced all summer with my homemade broad head [steel].
Hunted 2nd day of bowseason arrowed a 4x4 mulie 18 yds.... now the bad part...I was wearing to many layers of clothes and no arm band so string lost a good bit of energy and penetration was minimal. Only 3" on the shaft and popped out as he bounded away. I never used it to hunt again...it just hangs here in the office where the shoulder mount should be.
by the way my nieghbor shot the buck in rifle season a couple months later said he was in good health-with a group of does....really rewarding build thou and amazing history to our ancestors ingenuity
...chain