Author Topic: Paul Comstock's Meare Heath Bow (Read 645 times)

Mud_Slide_Slim · « **on:** February 25, 2014, 07:28:00 AM »

So I was going through some boxes this weekend finding things I forgot I had, and there I find Comstock's "The Bent Stick!" Completely forgot I bought this 10 years ago...Cool!! I have been going through it re-reading the highlighted areas and getting re-aquainted with the information. Well, that's all it took...I now have the urge to start building self bows again. Haven't done it in 10 years; back when I lived in Montana.

Now that I have the fire lit, I was wondering if any of you self bowyers have built the Meare Heath Bow, also referred to as an over-built bow, from this publication. Any words of wisdom regarding tillering? Any pics would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Bill-

tippit · « **Reply #1 on:** February 25, 2014, 08:49:00 AM »

Bill,
When Paul came out with the Bent Stick, I was just starting to build self bows. I had a lot of Mountain Ash on my property in Maine so I got really excited out his white wood methods. I built a couple Meare Heath bows and still one that he built. They are pretty easy to build plus they got me into building Osage bows that I have hunted. Paul's Meare Heath bow is back in Boston so unfortunately I don't have any pictures.

KeganM · « **Reply #2 on:** February 25, 2014, 09:47:00 AM »

I did, but after a while I drifted to over built pyramid bows. I use basically the same idea: thin wide limbs, short riser so the limbs get most of the bow length, and over all low stress. I would start tapering the width from 1.75"- 2.5" about 8" from the ends of the fades, and when I tillered I tried not to reduce the last 10" of the tips, to leave them stiff. I tillered with a scale/"No Set Tillering" and tempered the belly (no reflex, just kept the bow straight) and the bow came out with maybe 1/2" of string follow. Really easy to make, and really fast bows if you can get the tips stiff and light enough. My last one I had built for myself would shoot an arrow of the same gpp as my buddy's Bear Montana.

My Meare Heath bows always had a good bit of handshock but more than that were, to me, more tricky to tiller.

Kris · « **Reply #3 on:** February 25, 2014, 10:17:00 AM »

I definitely get inspired reading these books. If you don't have the Traditional Bowyers Bible Series I thru IV, I would encourage you to do so. You may upgrade some of the ideas from the Bent Stick with the latest version IV of the TBB and in particular chapters 5. The Mass Principle by Steve Gardner and Chapter 7. Design and Performance Revisited by Tim Baker. A must read for the inspired primitive bowyer.

I have elm drying in my basement right now with the idea of a Holmegaard bow in the works. Plus a hickory bow for my son is about 65% built, plus a bamboo backed pecan bow needs attention, plus...

All good stuff...I love it!

If I get time, I'll post my sons hickory bow photos on this thread.

Kris

Kris · « **Reply #4 on:** February 25, 2014, 11:22:00 AM »

This will be my 5 year old son's selfbow for this summer. I had a gnarly reflexed stave of hickory I had been intending to "practice" on to see what I might get out of it. I became more inspired the farther along I went. The braced tiller is really sweet.

Now I am excited to glue tip overlays on, heat the one limb straight and finish with a cool "Dean Torges" style stain pattern.

What a great hobby with unlimited possibilities. I hope my son and I do this the rest of our lives together. *** My son (Finn) stripped the bark off with a draw knife which then became the working back of this bow. I'll leave the cambial remnants on for camo.

Kris

ddauler · « **Reply #5 on:** February 25, 2014, 11:31:00 AM »

I built tons of these bow years ago I did make the tips a little narrower but great hunting bows. I use pignut hickory. Great little book!

Kris · « **Reply #6 on:** February 25, 2014, 11:40:00 AM »

Cool elk photo ddauler. That's where its at! Anyone can buy a bow and learn to shoot it but to make your own and kill a big game animal is full circle IMO!

Kris

Mud_Slide_Slim · « **Reply #7 on:** February 25, 2014, 12:30:00 PM »

Thanks for the replies! Kris, that is a real nice looking bow you got started there! I did have the first 3 book of TBB but lost them in one of my moves...I really wish I had them back. I hear the 4th volume is quite good; I will have to buy the set again when I can.

I have a good friend that is going to be cutting some hickory off his property and I am going to be able to get a few logs. So I was trying to decide which type of bow would work well. I may end up trying the pyramid bow as well...can't wait to get started!

ddauler...those are some great pics! Very inspiring and thank you for sharing! What were the specs on that bow? Much hand shock?

Bill-

Mudd · « **Reply #8 on:** February 25, 2014, 01:46:00 PM »

Paul was always a big fan of white wood bows.

I made the mistake of trying the design using "yaller" wood. It was one horse of a bow.

There was a group of fellers at the 1st MoBoJam that got it into their heads to build a great Meare Heath bow out of hickory, stain it just the right shade of yellow and send it to Paul.

I know they finished the bow but I am unsure if they got it delivered to Paul or not.

I went to trying a few hickory but used the pyramid design because you could make them shorter with good results.

A couple of those and I went back to Osage figuring why put all that time into a bow that I was positive wouldn't hold up as well as a good Osage bow.

Just one man's opinion.

God bless,Mudd

Brock · « **Reply #9 on:** February 25, 2014, 02:33:00 PM »

Paul Comstocks THE BENT STICK and website by Murray Gaskins on BUILDING DURABLE WHITE WOOD BOWS were my two main motivators in starting on a hickory bow.

The research in TBB confirmed their durability and performance (with right MC)...

Kris · « **Reply #10 on:** February 25, 2014, 02:35:00 PM »

True to Paul's original design, the tips on ddauler's bow look a bit "tooth jarring". I think since this time, designs have come around to finer tips. I love this robust neolithic look though!

I shoot for nothing greater than 1/2" tips anymore with usually a straight line taper to that, so a pyramid bow more or less. Any combination of this is acceptable in so long as it works.

The adventure is in the experimentation and the only cost is experience gained.

Kris

tippit · « **Reply #11 on:** February 25, 2014, 05:50:00 PM »

Here is a slight modification of Paul's bow...tippit

ddauler · « **Reply #12 on:** February 25, 2014, 07:29:00 PM »

Ok fellers my meare heath bows have very little hand shock much less than most Hill style bows I have owned. My shulz bow even had more. My pyriamid design has zero hand shock and is a much better design for hickory love em both. Osage ain't better just different and the bow limbs can be shorter and narrower. I have killed almost 50 deer 1 elk and 1 hog with them 66" 50# with cedar shafts most with snuffers. The elk was a zwickey delta complete pass through. The bow in the picture is still going strong and that was 20 years ago.

Kris · « **Reply #13 on:** February 25, 2014, 07:39:00 PM »

ddauler -

Forgive my "teeth jarring" comment, that's what happens when one makes gross observations & assumptions.

Outstanding! Your successes are phenomenal! I love what you have done with these bows. The fact that the one above is still going strong @ 20 yrs. is fantastic!

Kind Regards -

Kris

Mud_Slide_Slim · « **Reply #14 on:** February 25, 2014, 07:48:00 PM »

ddauler-

Well, you have me more than intrigued with that bow! Awesome pics and the fact that your bow is going strong after 20 years really says something for the design and your skill in making them. Hopefully I will be able to emulate some of your success...great job!

Bill-

ddauler · « **Reply #15 on:** February 25, 2014, 08:24:00 PM »

Here are a couple more pics. I am not a skilled craftsman but am a determined rascal. I built all kinds of self bows 20 plus years ago killed critters with them all it doesn't take a great bow to kill a critter but great bows are a pleasure to shoot. My first was a basic hickory flat bow built with a design better suited for osage killed several deer with it and it was junk. I love an osage cherokee style D bow or black locust slayed a bunch with them. The best "shooting" bow is my pyramid style yall got me fired up to put up the glass and carbon and break out all wood again!!!

Harleysboss · « **Reply #16 on:** February 25, 2014, 10:40:00 PM »

I just went and found my copy of "The Bent stick" dusted it off. Now I have direction for a pair of Pacific Dogwood billets that I've been staring at wondering what to do. Thanks for the thread and inspiration.

ddauler · « **Reply #17 on:** February 26, 2014, 09:12:00 AM »

Kris thats a good looking piece of hickory. The last few I built I cut wood in summer popped the bark off. Really like the texture on the back.

Jack Skinner · « **Reply #18 on:** February 26, 2014, 02:26:00 PM »

I also broke out the bent stick again recently. One of my favorite books on making bows.

Far left bow hornbeam overbuilt from the book. It was a slug my fault I am sure. Turned to osage for long time.

But in my mind was the page about "first class wooden hunting bow" also just read BB 4. So I picked up hickory board and went to work

Right out of book at start. Then as I shot it in I narrowed tips some more and got a great shooting bow. So don't just stick with overbuilt they are fun but the page on first rate hunting bow is worth checking out

ddauler · « **Reply #19 on:** February 26, 2014, 04:30:00 PM »

I did the same my original meare heaths were overbuilt and I reworked them and narrowed the tips great hunting bows.


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Author Topic: Paul Comstock's Meare Heath Bow (Read 645 times)

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