First Osage self Bow (progress) (Finished up 05/12)

[ber643]

Thank you, gents - I really appreciate the comments. I love the way that Osage gets so slick when you scrape on it - it's almost like you already burnished it. It really responds well to that - when the time comes. I liked Osage before, I think I'm having a love affair with it now.  

BTW, I noticed that "hinge look" in the picture but you don't see it when there in person. I looked at it while Mike bent it and he looked at it while I did. I am not sure if it is the angle of the pic, or the background of my troser leg edge, or what is making it appear that way in the pic but thankfully (so far) no actual hinge on either limb. I was wishing I had taken more pics, after I saw the pic, but I was into it too much yesterday, and Mike doesn't think about the camera unless I ask him to - LOL.

[JEFF B]

oh uncle bernie that is one awesome looking  bow man you got  the thing looking good cant wait to see the end result      

[ber643]

Thanks, Jeff - it really does seem to be coming along nicly. For some reason the pics don't seem to do it justice this week - but then I suffer from a "Father's Love" probably - LOL

[Longbow rookie]

Keep it up Bernie.  Great work so far!

[ber643]

Thank you much, Lr.

[Chris Surtees]

Keep up the good work Bernie!  

[ber643]

Bless you, Chris, I'll try my best.

[ber643]

Well, Made quite a bit of progress on "It" Yesterday (Sunday PM), and will get to that, with some pics, shortly.

First though. Mike hasn't had a chance to get any further with his bow with the three knot holes - will get pics when he does. However he did break out what he calls his "Painted Bow", so we could shoot it some during breaks in working on mine. Part of the reason is because this is basically the shape and type that I am shooting for with mine. Main difference is mine will be lower weight, and does have a few more character features. His bow will show what I'm after, and iit s a real neat little bow. It is A 58" Osage Selfbow and is quick and darned near dead in the hand for such a short little sweetheart. Also pretty strong, 56# at 27" (or 28", I forget), for as thin as it is (front to back). I, of course, can not pull it as far as he can and therefore had to use my thumb nuckle as my anchor point. Even at that, it shot real well for me, and with nice athority and litle to no hand shock. I was always impressed with the looks of the bow and even more so now that I've shot it some. Makes me sure how well I will like mine if it turns out as much like the "Painted" one as we think "It" will. BTW, Mike painted the center of the bow, put some NA design bands near each end of the painted area, and painted an arrow on the back in the painted area.

So here is a preview of "It" (we hope) in the form of Mikes "Painted Bow":

   

Mike with "Painted Bow" at Full Draw:

   

''Yours truly" with "PB", at my abreviated draw - what a nice shooter it is:

 
 

More in next post.

[ber643]

We did that shooting mostly while my bow was cooling off after we had dry heated it to induce some more Reflex in the one limb - to match the natural Reflex in the other limb. However, before we did that, I thinned and narrowed (taperd the tip) the other limb some. I knew I would need to do trhat with both limbs but not untill after the bending process on the one - just in case I needed more "room" to correct any miss-cues. After shaping the one limb a little we set up for the bending. You will notice the "High tech" "Caul" I brought along (in the form of chunks of Osage log pieces, to be cut up for knife handles, bow parts, etc.). It just happened to fill the bill perfectly. We will try to take the tip down almost to the work bench, to allow room for a little relaxing after the heat and cooling period:

 

Once the heat was applied (Mike demonstrating how to heat without Crisco and still not scorching the limb, as I did a little last time - LOL) the squeeze clamp was tightened down on the tip:

   

We couldn't have asked for better results, IMO:

 

A bit more in next post.

[ber643]

After that I worked on thinning the belly (mostly scraping with draw knife and using course sandpaper) and narrowing the tip of the limb just bent, and then both limbs, to bring both tips to more similar floor tiller. Later, following more belly thinning, it was time to start tree tillering with the long string and then plenty of belly thinning, exercising limbs, and checking progress. AT one point I took this pic and Mike figured we were about at 40 -to 45# - at brace height - LOL. During this work I was also rounding and shaping the edges some - for looks and safty for the wood:

 

More thinning, exercising, and checking followed and at the end of the afternoon both Mike and I were feeling I'd had a good afternoon of progress. He told me he felt I had reached the point where, if I felt up to it ("at my own speed" he cautioned), I could take it home with me and continue those processes, and start shaping the handle a little. I told Mike he could count on the fact that, if I got scared or uncomfortable with any part of it, - I would STOP! I'm liking this bow too well to do something dumb and blow it (please, Lord). I took a couple pics this AM, just to show where I ended up yesterday. The pics are taken from a little above to show more of the character of the limbs, I hope. I thought the first one might have a little to much clutter in the background for easy eyeballin', so I took the second on my wife's dinning room table (before she got up - LOL):

 

 

Thanks for following along.
_________________

[ber643]

Sorry, I don't think the update date took on the first post so "ttt" (for the devilment of it   :D      )

[Chris Surtees]

Bernie, The bow looks to be coming along nicely. Can not wait to see it when it's done. Very nice indeed!

[BMN]

Nicely done! Keep it coming. I'm really enjoying this one.

Bill

[James Wrenn]

Bernie you have just about inspired me to try building a selfbow.  :D  It looks like it is working nice.

[ber643]

Thank you, Chris, Bill, and James. I appreciate it. Hey James you know that old joke about what the father tells his son, "If you have half a mind to get married, Son - go to it, that's all it takes." Well, making a self bow is kinda like that too - so they tell me -   :D  Just kidding, it's great fun and if I've inspired you, even a little bit, I'm pickled tink -    .

[James Wrenn]

Bernie a buddy of mine has a stash of osage and is searching for me a beginer stave.I told him I won't ready for no crooks and knots right now.  :D  I need one that is darn near idiot proof!  

[DBerrard]

Very nice, sir. Pretty decent thread so far.  

I was going to ask what the crisco is for, but after reading on I see it's used in the heating process.  :D

[Linc]

Very nice Bernie. I see the addiction is starting to get a real hold on you.LOL. You're doing great buddy.  

[ber643]

Allll-right, James, go get 'em, buddy.
Thank you very much for that, DB
Bless you, old friend, Linc, you're so kind.

Starting to work on the bow here at home a little now (between other "chores" - like cleaning the dinning room table off     :D    ), so I will be posting along and along now as it comes up also. No more "Mr. Nice Looking Shop" (at Mike's) for awhile (except now and then - when needed     :p    ) - just my ol' Glory Hole Room. Like this AM, I stepped in there early to do a little roughing in of the handle. So check back, "ever now 'n agin".

Setting up here to use my Farriers File/Rasp (smoother side), and timed release on the digicam of course. I love how the file works and it has good Mojo. It comes from a gent here in NC that does Farrier work for the US (and Canada) Olympic Equestrian Teams. I met him later the same day that his friend and mine, Matt Edwards, gave me the file:

 

And applying the ol' hands and elbo grease to "stroke" it with the sweet, big file:

 

[ber643]

In the process of doing some belly thinning and further shaping, for floor tillering, as time permits. Using mostly draw knife, Ka-Bar, and sand paper.

 

Here is a level pic of "It" after some short sessions. Just about through with floor tillering - will set up my tree tiller rig this weekend and start checking progress with that (hopefully)

 

I'll get Mike to take a look-see (at his place or mine) before getting too carried away - LOL. Sure is nice to have a guiding hand close by.