Asian or Korean Bows

[Jeremy Bays]

Any thoughts on making a Korean style bow?  The question I have is what would make a good core material (WOOD not horn) for a bow like this?

I know in bows that are sold on that forbidden auction site and amazon, their is a fiberglass strip and wooden recurves.  Any ideas to replace that "fiberglass strip"?

I should mention that I have used flattened 3/4" PVC as a "core" to make a light bow (about 25 pounds).  Worked OK but wanting something else.

Here is an example of what I am thinking.
  https://www.amazon.com/Longbowmaker-Handmade-Snakeskin-Archery-Traditional/dp/B00LGZZLI4/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1513102745&sr=8-13&keywords=longbowmaker

Thanks
Jeremy Bays

[Pat B]

I think mulberry was traditionally in some of the Asiatic horn bows. Maple might be another option. I also think that different portions of the bow were different types of wood. You could check out ATARN, they are the horn bow website or contact James Parker at Huntworthyproductions. James has built many Asiatic horn bows of every variety from Chinese to Egyptian to Hun, Korean, Mongolian and others. James knows his stuff when it comes to all things archery and specifically Asiatic horn bows.

[LittleBen]

Might wanna message Mikekeswick. I recall him talking about core woods for horn bows a while back. IIRC he was looking for mulberry or hard maple, but green not seasoned.

[KenH]

I've been a member of ATARN for many years.  

Mulberry, Hard Maple, Ash, and Bamboo are core woods for certain cultures. Not oak or hickory or osage. which were not Central Asian wood species.

Those 'glass with wooden siyahs (not recurves) bows are made both by the cheap makers and some of the best like Toth.  

There is no substitute for that fiberglass strip except to go to a full-blown wood-horn-sinew bow, and that can takes years to master.  Go to ATARN.net or the ATARN page on Farcebook and look at the work of Jason Beever, Beaumont Vance and some of the others.  

It can take more than a year of esperimentation to find the right natural glue (hide, sinew or fish bladder) or combination of glues to make wood-horn-sinew work for you and your environment.  Modern synthetic glues simply do not hold things together perperly.

Likewise finding good horn and sinew and learning to work with them are expensive and lengthy processes.

There is no substitute for horn except fiberglass.
There is no substitute for sinew.  

Some of us make wood and glass composite bows in those ancient Asian designs.

[Jeremy Bays]

Thanks for the information and tips
--Jeremy Bays

[mikkekeswick]

The bow in the link actually uses solid glass for the limbs and grip/tips are spliced in. That is why they are so cheap. They also have enough handshock to take you round the World!