New Projects, Wives and Smart Phones

[quail]

So I am thinking I need another, new, purpose built bow...right? Like one for turkey hunting from a blind. Because we all know that I must have a bow built for each aspect of my archery and hunting life. My wife on the other hand, does not understand this. Even though she has a multitude of shoes, kitchen gadgets, etc.....she can not understand why a man would ever need to build another bow. While I can list 100 reasons in my head why this I "need" to build another bow, in the heat, (oops.... I mean warmth) of the moment, I can scarcely come up with one solid reason why I need to order more materials for another bow. And I guess so it just goes sometimes with husbands and wives!

So, as I am cruising around here looking for inspiration, I find several great posts by "Jess Stuart", "Peanut39350" and "Bjansen". All three have done great short recurve builds, and all three who were kind enough to share some information.

As I am excited to share my ideas with someone who gets it, I tried to pull up an old post by Brad on my phone to show one of my bow building buddies. Post I was looking for featured a great looking bow based on the old Herters 46" design. When I entered the key words I could remember, "46" and "herters", my phone's auto-correct changed it to "Her Terms"!!........Guess my phone is smarter that I realized!                

Thanks everyone on here for freely sharing your work and information. This is truly a great community. You are all welcome at my campfire anytime.

[BenBow]

Man you phone has the "Wife's Way" virus!!! Man get some virus removal software quick!  

[Roy from Pa]

Don't feel bad, I'm the boss in my bow shop.

Until the door opens.. LOL

[quail]

Bought the software, but it continues to ask for more money! Actually, I have survived almost 25 years of marriage to the same woman by seeking forgiveness instead of permission and buying her whatever she wanted when she wanted it!

[KenH]

Have you thought of the possibility of a modern take on the ancient Pacific Northwest Paddle Bow?  So called because of its shape.  Short bows (38"-56") intended for hunting from cover over short distances; short draw lengths as well, for minimum movement.  The originals were self bows, but the same principles could be applied to a short wide wood-glass bendy-handle flat bow.

[quail]

Have not considered one of those yet, not very familiar with with the design. Right now I am in love with the various versions of the Herters 46" I have e seen here . still in the discovery phase of this project though

[KenH]

Here's a pic of a few Modoc Paddle Bows from Northern California
   

[YosemiteSam]

Are those paddle bows sinew backed?  Any idea what kind of wood?  Juniper or Pac Yew?

[YosemiteSam]

The true reason behind most of our decisions is simply that we "just wanna do it."  Most everything else is a post-hoc rationalization.

My wife asked me why I wanted to build a new type of bee hive since the ones I have work so well.  My reasons got shot down every time & she was right every time (all friendly banter).  But when I finally thought about it, I just wanted to try it out for fun.  And with that, the argument was over.  Her comment was priceless.  "Well, that's about the most honest thing you've said so far."  My new hive is sitting behind my office & ready for a new swarm.

Why do you "need" a new bow?  You don't.  But it's fun to try new things so why not?

[KenH]

Yes the PNW Paddle bows were/are sinew backed, often Yew or Juniper but other woods too.

Which makes me wonder -- could a modern version be glassed just on the back, with two strips of 1.5" 'glass laid on side by side.

[YosemiteSam]

Originally posted by KenH:
Yes the PNW Paddle bows were/are sinew backed, often Yew or Juniper but other woods too.

Which makes me wonder -- could a modern version be glassed just on the back, with two strips of 1.5" 'glass laid on side by side.

I've never worked with glass on bows (just boats & surfboards).  But there's a sure way to find out if it works...

I think the short bows are meant for shorter draws, however.  I don't know if you could get a 40" bow pulled to 28" with any margin of safety.  The exception would be some sort of highly recurved design, like an Asiatic or Hungarian design.  Always fun to learn a new style of shooting!

[kennym]

Every bow I make, I tell Renee: This is the last bow I'll ever need. Really..  

[quail]

Good strategy Kenny!

[KenH]

Yosemite -- yep -- those short bows were definitely meant for 18"-25" draws.  There is no law that says you have to draw long with a less efficient bow to get good speed/hitting power.   These were intended for blind hunting at short range (under 20 yards, often under 20 ft).

Asian style bows like the Scythian can draw to 31" or even 32", but they are 48" or a hair more.  I have a friend who makes horn/sinew replicas of Western Scythian bows found in archaeological digs.

[YosemiteSam]

Originally posted by KenH:
Yosemite -- yep -- those short bows were definitely meant for 18"-25" draws.  There is no law that says you have to draw long with a less efficient bow to get good speed/hitting power.   These were intended for blind hunting at short range (under 20 yards, often under 20 ft).

Asian style bows like the Scythian can draw to 31" or even 32", but they are 48" or a hair more.  I have a friend who makes horn/sinew replicas of Western Scythian bows found in archaeological digs.

Do you happen to know of any good resources for how to shoot with a short draw?

Does your friend have a website to show off his work?  There's a guy I saw at a local 3D shoot last November who had an asiatic recurve shot with a thumb ring.  He said he had made it himself & it looked real nice.  But we both had our kids distracting us so I never got to find out if he sold them or what the whole story was.  Pretty cool, whatever the case.

[KenH]

When shooting short draw, you do things like draw-to-bow-shoulder, or draw-to-chest or draw-to-chin or -nose, just not all the way back alongside your head to anchor at the jaw or ear or whatever.

Jason Beever is his name, and he's on Farcebook and the Asian Traditional Archery page there.  He makes a wide variety of Asian traditional bows, not just Scythian.