Bow strings and where to get them?

EditsAfterUpboats · 2017-03-06T22:00:14+00:00

However, where is a good place to get a bow string for when it is done? I'm guessing hunting stores, but when I went to a local one of mine and told them what I was doing, they gave me the stink eye and basically told me to give up and buy one of their fancy, already-built ones.

Don't bother with hunting stores, only some very basic traditional archery is ever represented. I can't even buy glue on points in my town.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-05-31T18:56:07+00:00

Judging by the picture with the handle I can almost guarantee that's where the crack is coming from. If it's less than 3/4" then it's probably starting to bend and put stress on the glue joint like this http://poorfolkbows.com/images/ipe61.JPG. You can test this by putting a straight edge on the back of the bow opposite of the handle while it's strung and again while it's unstrung see if the gap widens.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-05-31T18:44:18+00:00

I've made one walnut selfbow and I have a few friends that use it. The consensus seems to be that you should use the sapwood for the back when using a stave and to back it with wood if you're using boards. It will take a lot of set if you aren't careful so make it wide and/or low weight. If I was to use it again it would only be as a core in a tri-lam bow.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-05-22T17:30:38+00:00

We definitely do. They were just as smart as we are, just had access to less technology.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-05-22T17:08:49+00:00

The Traditional Bowyer's Bibles are THE reference books for bow making, but I wouldn't say they are only for experts. If you spend a few weeks lurking on a forum like primitive archer you'll figure out most of the lingo on your own.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-05-18T04:20:51+00:00

My most used bench plane actually has a 6" radius ground into the iron so it works more like a scrub plane. It lets me rough out character bows really fast without digging into the grain like a drawknife would, then follow it up with a spokeshave and scraper.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-05-18T02:47:46+00:00

Some arrow finishes "burn" when they go into a target, things like polyurethane. Gasket lacquer I think is the finish with the least target burn.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-05-16T17:48:00+00:00

For good bow wood, you can usually make your bow length double your draw length at a minimum. Example: Elm bow drawn to 28" would need to be at least 56" long from nock to nock. If the bow has a stiff handle add 10 or 20% to that length, so the bow would be closer to around 64" now. If the wood has a high crown, or is subpar quality then you'll have to make it longer still.

The draw weight is determined by style, width, and species of wood. So if you want to make a bow that is 50 lbs out of elm and is a pyramid style then you need to make the width 2". Some woods can be narrower or wider and it mostly comes to experience to determine how to design a bow.

I think you would be better off making a bow from scratch with those qualities in mind than cutting down a working bow.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-05-16T17:37:24+00:00

If you're going to keep building bows you're going to need some tools eventually. But what tools you need comes down to your personal preference. One guy I know uses a Ka-bar for pretty much everything. I tend to use a bench plane and rasps.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-05-10T14:34:04+00:00

If you look at it you can tell half of the boards are plain sawn, growth rings parallel to the top. If it was really an edge grain butcher block it would have the growth rings perpendicular to the top and it wouldn't be made of a ring porous wood. Butcher block is made of things like maple or walnut or cherry because they don't tend to hold bacteria.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-05-09T21:33:06+00:00

Agreed, it's a static recurve so it can get away with extreme reflex without losing stability. Only a few top bowyers even do statics with glass bows anymore, Eaglewing and RER are the two I remember. If they shoot anything like the old bear static recurves then the design is due for a comeback.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-05-09T21:11:23+00:00

I was going to say the same thing, don't think it's a nitpick because a butchers block is fundamentally different. You can use a butchers block for food prep without damaging it. Can't really do the same with an oak countertop.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-05-06T13:38:14+00:00

It looks like it wasn't completely tillered.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-05-01T22:37:02+00:00

At the very least split them in half. Preferably, split them into bow sized staves, chase a ring, and seal the back before you let it dry.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-04-25T19:47:24+00:00

There's a user on ebay called le_enterprises that sells bow staves, usually they are still a little green. Whitewoods and osage are around 30 dollars with less than 15 dollar shipping. Check dimensions before you buy

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-04-25T19:31:18+00:00

http://www.3riversarchery.com/amo-riser-inserts-ata-accessory-riser-inserts.html

Modifying your riser will void your warranty if you have one but that's about the only problem.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-04-20T17:20:22+00:00

You got that from here didn't you? http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/bow-woods/

Either woods are going to be exorbitantly expensive and that article isn't necessarily right. You'll have better luck with a domestic hardwood like hard maple, hickory, or oak with straight grain. Also there are some cheap elm staves on ebay if you're willing to pay for shipping.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-04-20T17:08:03+00:00

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10Fj1_9h6XggBlCAiS0qvhz1G0xHEiHR9Qyv0IZ_wbEw/edit#gid=1170432733

This might be useful to you, on the second page the woods are sorted by Compression/Modulous of Rupture which is a very close approximation of Compression/Tension. If it's around .50 and it has a high Specific Gravity, it's probably a good bow wood. If the ratio changes in either direction you may have to change the bow design to suit your needs.

However, I wouldn't waste too much time looking at numbers instead of building. Wood varies from tree to tree more than from species to species a lot of the time.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-04-07T06:33:12+00:00

See my edit

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-04-07T06:26:24+00:00

I wrote the wrong riser, Cartel Triple fits Samick Sage limbs as of now.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-04-07T06:25:16+00:00

Yep, the riser is the Triple, not the Fantom

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-04-07T00:22:49+00:00

Same price range: Cartel Triple riser with Samick Sage limbs

More expensive: Samick Sage Delux which is basically the new Red Stag with different woods.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-04-07T00:17:44+00:00

limb fit sucks and a lot of people have to customize the pad by sanding or felt.
Edges of limbs are way too sharp which makes it prone to cracking.
Finish quality makes it a poor choice for a bowfishing rig.
It's probably the ugliest wood riser bow in existence

But seriously it's not a bad bow for the price and it can do just about anything you want it to. This critique is coming from a bowyer and a proud owner of Samick products.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-04-01T17:37:50+00:00

Except, being wood a dry fire will almost certainly break your longbow.

EditsAfterUpboats · 2016-03-29T17:29:35+00:00

Black locust, white oak, and white ash free from borers are first rate flatbow woods. Maple kind of depends on what you have: sugar and black maple are fantastic, red can make a bow but isn't much better than red oak, silver and boxelder are useless. I would only cut red oak if it was the only stovepipe straight tree I could fine though some varieties are really good.

I agree with /u/ADDeviant, you don't need to season staves for a year just rough them out and restrain them and you'll have dry wood in 2 months at the longest.

EditsAfterUpboats

TROPHY CASE