posted
Back before the deer season (Early Sept here in NC) you may, or may not remember me posting the pic below and a couple others along with a story about my starting on my first Osage self bow (under the cautionary eye of my Mentor, Mike Brooks ). Ever since then I have been "threatening" to get back on it after the season. Well the season ended 1 Jan - dad-burn, I'm slow . Finally, both Mike and I had time to get together yesterday (Presidents Day), and I flat made some yellow shavings fly - .
Recap Picture (first day, probably in Aug.):
I was really pleased with how much I retained from that first session, and using my own old Draw Knife I (we) could even see some improvement in confidence in "Attack Mode". However my memory didn't improve any so I forgot my camera. I brought the stave home last night so I could record the progress after the (much postponed) second day. I had only got down to the "Back", on one end before. Yesterday I took it all the way to the other end - only to discover right at the end that there was some kind of half ring or camoflage transition that had hoodwinked us. So I started working back - had to go almost back to the original starting point - but what fun, and how well it went - and how much more I learned. On top of that we got a better looking back and it found it has streaks of almost a redish color in it. After that, Mike helped me lay out a would be bow outline - (similar to a bow of his that I had shot and liked, and that the stave looked like it might consent to - ). I proceeded to take the sides close to the outline and we split off the extra, under part of the stave. Here are a couple pics of how it looks now - I'm a pretty happy camper. We will have a little amount of character in both limbs but we will also have some heat bending to do, coming up soon. I am shooting for 58-60" and 40-45# @ 26"
-------------------- Bernie: "Hunters Are People Too"
Ret'd USMC '53-'72 Disbanded Hubert Archers (Treasurer) Traditional Bow Shooters of West Virginia (Official Dinosaur Wrangler, Supporter, and Member) TGMM Family of the Bow Posts: 18869 | From: S Coastal NC | Registered: Mar 2003
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Look'n good! I'm work'n on my first piece of osage as well so I can appreciate your effort and enthusiasm. My hands are still sore from working a scraper for several hours yesterday. Lots of fun.
Posts: 566 | From: Juneau, AK | Registered: Mar 2003
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LOL - yep my hands cramped last night and were sore this AM - (but not enough to stop me).
I hope y'all want to see more "progress" pics, and are ready to . The Marines had a long weekend so Mike's company didn't have to work today either - so we were able to get together for more "larning" this afternoon. This time I took my camera. As you will see, I made a lot more shavings (big ones too) . You folks are right, thinking, "clean stave". Only one tiny pin knot and one reg Knot - not in the way - but yes some problems with heat bending coming up - we'll see. Really made a lot of progress today and it's beginning to look like a bow - albiet a crooked one - at this stage :
As you can see in the forth pic - some pretty good natural reflex - if I get it right it should be pretty zippy.
-------------------- Bernie: "Hunters Are People Too"
Ret'd USMC '53-'72 Disbanded Hubert Archers (Treasurer) Traditional Bow Shooters of West Virginia (Official Dinosaur Wrangler, Supporter, and Member) TGMM Family of the Bow Posts: 18869 | From: S Coastal NC | Registered: Mar 2003
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-------------------- Bernie: "Hunters Are People Too"
Ret'd USMC '53-'72 Disbanded Hubert Archers (Treasurer) Traditional Bow Shooters of West Virginia (Official Dinosaur Wrangler, Supporter, and Member) TGMM Family of the Bow Posts: 18869 | From: S Coastal NC | Registered: Mar 2003
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Yep, NSlb, I did just that, to finish off the fades a little as a last step yesterday. Thanks, guys. I hope to get another shot at it on Sunday (got to get in some knife and Wing Bone call work too - LOL). So many fun things to do ... well, you know -
-------------------- Bernie: "Hunters Are People Too"
Ret'd USMC '53-'72 Disbanded Hubert Archers (Treasurer) Traditional Bow Shooters of West Virginia (Official Dinosaur Wrangler, Supporter, and Member) TGMM Family of the Bow Posts: 18869 | From: S Coastal NC | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
That is looking nice. Can't complain about that natural reflex. Looking forward to seeing the heat bending portion of this project. Keep up the good work.
posted
I also am interested in the heat bending part - it'll be my first, of course, and we figure about 3 bends at least. The reflex is about 2 1/4" on one end and 2 1/2" on the other so if all goes well it should really spit the arrows out. (Where is that smiley with the crossed fingers? )
-------------------- Bernie: "Hunters Are People Too"
Ret'd USMC '53-'72 Disbanded Hubert Archers (Treasurer) Traditional Bow Shooters of West Virginia (Official Dinosaur Wrangler, Supporter, and Member) TGMM Family of the Bow Posts: 18869 | From: S Coastal NC | Registered: Mar 2003
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![[Smile]](smile.gif)
). Ever since then I have been "threatening" to get back on it after the season. Well the season ended 1 Jan - dad-burn, I'm slow ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
. Finally, both Mike and I had time to get together yesterday (Presidents Day), and I flat made some yellow shavings fly - ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
. 
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
. You folks are right, thinking, "clean stave". Only one tiny pin knot and one reg Knot - not in the way - but yes some problems with heat bending coming up - we'll see. Really made a lot of progress today and it's beginning to look like a bow - albiet a crooked one - 
![[thumbsup]](graemlins/thumbsup.gif)
