Getting into Self bows (Questions)

[Wolftrail]

I don't like a farriers rasp on osage, it is OK for hogging off hickory. I keep a sharp #49 for almost all my rough work on osage, then it is my scissors half scraper with a wicked hook rolled up on the blade, I can take some serious wood off with it. I finish up with a palm sander, it gets rid of any washboard on the limbs and keeps you from overtillering yourself into a bow failure.

The scissors get rid of a lot of wood quickly.

On a flat area like that I use a small hand plane, ya just gotta keep the blade properly adjusted.

[DVSHUNTER]

Drawknife, rasp, knock file.  That makes a bow.

I hear they have been made with rocks before! It's all in how pretty you want to make them. I have seen works of art from skilled craftsmen and functional long lasting bows from tool makers. I own some of each.

My advice is start with what you have. Learn to use each tool well to get your desired results.

If I could only have one tool, it would be my farriers rasp. I can hog off wood when needed and make very fine tillering adjustments with it. It's all in how you control it.

[9 Shocks]

Another quick question.  If you want to make a 64" bow but only have enough wood to really make limbs as the wood doesn't have enough on the belly side of the stave, is it possible to make the handle section out of elm and adjoin it the rest of the riser?  If it is possible, how long should the handle section be to the belly side fades?  I have 2 osage staves and smaller pieces of elm that I feel would make a few sweet bows if I could make it all work together.

[Wolftrail]

Drawknife, rasp, knock file.  That makes a bow.

No doubt those are the best hand tools,  I built a yew self bow using a hand plane and finished it using the rasp and file, and I will build my next self bow the same way.  The bow turned out great perfect tiller and all. 

[Pat B]

9Shocks, how long are your osage pieces?

[9 Shocks]

Both are around 66”s

[Pat B]

Do you have pics? Why can't you make a bow from each piece?

[9 Shocks]

The belly of the bow on one of the staves where the handle would go is too thin.  It would need to be beefed up in the handle section.

[Pat B]

That's an easy fix, either for a rigid or bendy handle bow.

[9 Shocks]

any recommendation on how much handle for a 66" bow?  I was thinking about an 8" handle section blended into the fades.  So 4" grip and then 2"s on either side for the fades?

[Pat B]

That's what I do.