Monday 19 January 2015

ELB or Cherokee?

What can you do eh?
Two bows smash in quick succession... one was the wood, t'other was the bowyer.
Jump back on... but what to make? I've had all sorts of high flown ideas about flight bows and warbows...

When in doubt go back to what you know, but with a twist.
I picked up the Hop Hornbeam stave given to me by Steve and Eric from the back of their truck at the Tennessee classic last year.
It had been trimmed down pretty tight so that I could get it back with my hold luggage on the 'plane. It's six foot long and fairly narrow so I've started roughing it out to ELB (English Longbow) sort of dimension, but then I thought maybe a Cherokee style bow, pretty similar to an ELB but with a nice nod to it's American origin.
I'll do some armchair bow making and read around the Cherokee bows.

The stave has a few tiny knits and one streak of fine knots. It's lovely wood, looks and works a bit like Hazel but 50% tougher and a hint darker.
Hopefully with a longer bow, I'll be back in my comfort zone and regain my shattered confidence.
S'pose I should call what I'm trying to build so let's say 50# at 28".

If it survives I'll post it on Primitive Archer so Eric and Steve can see what I've made of it...
Fingers crossed. Am I jittery... 'course not (cough splutter).
Update:- I've pressed on with it. I'm not normally one to get a bow virtually finished in a day, but I've got it to 50# at 26" Right timb tip is too stiff, but nearly there.
Done some more, got the handle flexing a whisker and the right limb moving better. 50# at 28" whew, yes I can make a bow!
Work tomorrow...


Some sad news, one of my fellow archers (same age as me) died suddenly a couple of days ago in his sleep. My thoughts go out to his friends and family.
It reminds us all of our mortality, so maybe next time you loose an arrow, spare a thought for those left behind.

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