Stay at Home Workshop/Forge...Reducing Bow Weight

[tippit]

Well I'm spending a lot of time these days in my workshop/forge making knives, fancy twisted hooks, and reducing weight on some of my older longbows & recurves.  Last summer I had an inflamed Biceps tendonitis in my right shoulder.  I'm only shooting 40# for hunting hogs but I couldn't even pull that weight without pain.  So I reduced a a half dozen bows to 35#@28 and have work my way back to 40#.  I seem to need the 35# bows to warm up for shooting 40# but all is good again.

Here is a special hinged Great Northern Critter 56" 60#@28 that I shot a nice Wisconsin buck back some 40+ years ago.  Through the years I've probably reduce weight on this bow 4 to 5 times.  Believe it or not, it's now my training bow at 35#@28!!  Plus after it's safe to venture out to my south Georgia hunting lease, I will hunt this bow again as I only shoot 50# to 125# hogs.  I just watch the big boys or let my guests try for the picture hogs...tippit

[Duker]

Good to hear your right shoulder is getting better and your back to shooting 40#

[ron w]

Pretty cool to keep that bow in the mix

[BAK]

How about posting some photos of your other work, always interested in forge work.

[The Whittler]

A question for Tippit or anyone who might know. I was told you can measure from the limb tip down 13" - 14" and sand the flat surface on both sides and it will take some pounds off.

If so how well dos this work and how many pounds can you safely take off. And what kind of finish can be applied. Thanks for any help.

Or maybe just forget it.

[tippit]

The Whittler,
If you are hand sanding, it takes a lot of elbow grease to take off 5 pounds...but do it evenly top and bottom limbs.  keep checking your tiller.  if you don't have a tillering tree where you can pull your string down and see evenness of limbs at different draw lengths, lay your strung bow on a tile floor to compare top & bottom similarity. Like this...

BAK,
Antler Patch knife with Brow Tine as Ball Starter for my Flintlock...

Bear Bone Patch Knife...

Rifleman's Knife...

[tippit]

I'm spending a couple hours a day in my forge almost every day.  Never did so much pounding of hot steel before.  Plus still grinding bows...

Twisted Oyster Shucking knife...

Brute de Forge No Frills...

Beverage {Pocket Knives...

[BAK]

Oh, I like that rifleman's  knife blade.   

My great great grandfather was a gun smith for the friendly natives here in Iowa in the 1830's.  My brother still has his anvil.  I admire that skill.

[tippit]

Well it's not all work...always time for a little nap at the forge

[Pine]

Looks like the supervisor is getting a nap as well. 

[snag]

Looks like man’s best friend is holding your place in the shade.