Originally posted by LittleBen:
That is coming along very nicely Scars. Really like the shape of the bow.
I would like to know more about how you string the bow using those wood forms.
They are called tepeliks or in English limb forms the Turks and more than likely the steppes have used them for centuries maybe longer. I really don't know if I needed them on this bow but because I am getting prepared for the horse bow and this bow is what I am using for testing horn bow procedures and working out what I will need to do I wanted to follow some of the ways and traditions that I will need to use on the horse bow.
On most of the horn bows the reflex is very highly induced from the core of wood when it is formed. Then the horn is placed on the belly and it is added with more reflex. The sinew is applied in layers and each time it increases the reflex. In some cases where the tips touch or cross, then it is seasoned. Seasoning is sort of a square law type of math time. But once the bow has cured and it is ready to be opened you need certain tools and methods and time forgive my interpretation and spelling;
azi geza is a limb spreader and is used to begin the process of opening the limbs out slowly. Once the limbs are open that is when you start using the tepeliks to bend the limbs to belly side of the bow.
Since I didn't fully understand what the tepeliks did I made the pair that you see very conservatively they do not have as much arc as I should have put in to them when I made them. The arc should be made to future brace height and as long as the bending part of the limb. To start using them you tie the start of the tepeliks to the bow at the fades. You begin bending the limb very slowly and just listen to the bow. The sinew will pop snapple and crack. tie the limb off and inspect the horn, wood core and sinew for any delams. You will do this process as many times as needed depending on how heavy the bow feels leaving the limb tied in place for a day or two each time. you bend it closer to the arc of the tepelik. Once the tepelik is mated to the horn leave it tied and bound to it for a few days. If the tepeliks are made to the brace height you can get a measurement for the string. Once the string is on you can release the tepeliks and start the tillering process. scraping horn or sanding sinew or both.
On heavier bows the tepeliks can be used as the means to string the bow up when ever it has been unstrung. They are smaller than bracing boards and can be stored in a smaller foot print.
Adam Karpowicz's book gets into this much better than I can do it.
Thanks Igor Pat and Little Ben, This bow is so tiny I think I can reduce my brace to about 6 1/2"ish without making it unstable. I am thinking about horn on the grip sides and covering it with silk and some off key designs.
Joe
Topic: Questions about sinew? With Test Bow (Read 1156 times)
