Having fun with my selfbow

[david janssen]

I bought a used selfbow last week from a fellow Tradganger and am having a blast with it.I always have been interested in selfbows and finally have one.If you have never shot one you don't know what your missing.These bows are extremely quiet and a blast to shoot.The bow I bought is made by Ryan(Twistedlimbs)Gill.I have read about selfbows having handshock but I don't notice any with this bow.Ryan has the tiller spot on.

Thanks for reading,
David

[Pat B]

It amazes me how surprised many folks are about the shootability selfbows are. How the are surprised they are that selfbows shoot smoothly don't necessarily have hand shock or how fun(and effective) they can be.
 Congrat on your new selfbow, David. Ryan builds beautiful, good shooting selfbows and he has proven how effective they can be.
   Now it is time to jump on the wagon and build your own selfbow. Its so easy even a caveman can build one! d;^)

[Bowjunkie]

I'm partial to them myself. I've hunted with nothing but selfbows I made for the last 15 years, except for one sinew-backed osage, and have never once wished I had a glass bow in my hand.

Selfbows sometimes have handshock because the limbs aren't syncronized. The limbs often aren't syncronized because folks try to build them like glassbows by using predetermined tiller measurements. With the vagaries of a wooden bow, that's a mistake. It's better to tiller the limbs(of ANY bow) so they bend and recover in perfect unison, while mimicing the archer's holds on bow and string, and let the measurements be what they be.

Sounds like you got a good one. What kind of wood is it? Got any pictures?

Bows with class need no glass  

[snag]

Hi David. For those of us who haven't been around selfbows for long they are a new and rewarding discovery.  I have only built 3 so far. But the yew wood bow I finished not long ago continues to shoot beautifully. I'm going to hunt with it this year. Have fun!

[Kituwa]

Now you need to try some home made rivercane or dogwood arrows with some home made trade points are stone points for hunting.

[david janssen]

The bow is one of Ryans twisted osage bows.I'm planning on making up some douglas fir shafts with some wild turkey feathers using some Magnus I broadheads that I have.Maybe next year I'll try some rivercane shafts and stone heads.It is a 58" 43#@26" draw.Watchout turkeys and deer.I'm also planning on getting an osage stave and trying to build my own selfbow.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

[LongStick64]

Just started my second self bow and it is addicting as it can get.

[Mudd]

Selfbows are deceptively fun,quiet,and deadly.

I remember making a few that were awfully fun to shoot and hunt with.

God bless,Mudd

[Pat B]

Bowjunkie, you are a man after my heart. Let the wood tell you what it wants to be, not tell the wood what you want it to be! d;^)

[Eric Krewson]

Finished #141 today and gave it to a friend of mine. Yep, making them is addictive.