Well I have finally completed a long project. This osage/ buffalo horn bow is 43.5" it is heavily sinew backed on the back and sides and has reflexed tips, it pulls 25" and is appx 55 pds.

The arrows are dogwood, fletched with turkey feathers and real sinew wrappings with replica iron trade points.

The bow case and quiver are smoked brain tanned deer skin, the beadwork is done in all 11/0 czech seed beads in what is called the lazy stitch method. Close to 100 hours in this project.

Thanks for looking. Eric

I'm working on a sheep horn "sheepeater" bow now and when it is complete I will add pictures.

Outstanding work as usual. Are you going to use this bow this spring for turkey? A handy short bow that looks to be very quick and the short draw will keep your movement to the minimum. I realize it was for horse back use primarily, but it has so many hunting applications. Bill

That is just awesome. The bows and arrows are works of art as is the quiver. Well done. Jawge

Bill, most of my bows go to collectors or galleries. As for my own bow it is a simple, plain osage bow that is nothing to fancy but has flung thousands of arrows and given many hours of enjoyment. After all the bows I have made I always go back to that plain old "D" shaped osage bow. HAHA!

Outstanding work Eric.The bow and quiver + arrows looks to be the complete package.Very authentic great work.

Awesome... I am really impressed by your work. Simply beautiful..... Jim.

Fantastic work.

It has been my experience (though alas not personal experience) that a craftsman can end up with something great but that an artist can work in any medium and everything is great. You are and artist. Every piece is a work of art. Thanks for sharing.

Beautiful work Eric. Always appreciate your sharing,,a true traditionalist.

Very nice indianguy. Funny about the art stuff....my second selfbow was a success but was not very efficient. It was a very notty osage along the back and had some string follow, speed robbing wide tips...you know the type lol. I gave it to the landowner/friend after I hunted with it a year or two and took two deer with it. His neighbor was over one evening and noticed it laying on a desk. He was an art collector.....offered my friend a thousand dollars on the spot for it !!!! Of course my friend turned him down on the offer.

Morral of the story is "one mans pce of sh&^t is another mans pce of art!"

Eric- you never cease to amaze! Fine work my friend, the "labor of love" shines through!

Gorgeous work. Really, really nicely done.

Any quill work on the quiver?

No there is no quill work on the quiver. I have done some quilled knife sheaths but not attempted it on a project as big as a quiver.

SWEET! Love the bow case too!

Great job!

Beautiful Eric......Just beautiful!!

Great work Eric. That is one cool little bow. The quiver is really nice as well.

That is a work of art that makes me drool. I love that type of stuff. Great job!!

Excellent

You do outstanding work, very nice!

I have one of Erics' beaded brain-tanned Plains-style knife sheaths (thanks to his un-ending generosity) & can attest to the quality & authentic historic accuracy of his beautiful work. Pictures while great do not do justice to the item & either that bow string hides the clock hands at 7:10 or his work makes time seem to stand still, heh.

Functional works of art! Thanks for sharing. Please consider a build-a-long on one of your future projects. Jr.

Amazing work, sir...you must have the patience of jobe!

FF

Wow, looks awesome, fast too.

awesome job Eric. Thanks for posting pictures of it.

ERIC

You never cease to amaze me bro. Absolutely beautiful brutha, you da man. Keep it up, always waitng to see your next piece.

the other Eric

Eric, you continue to inspire me!

Leo

You are very talented and I can't wait to see what you will create next. Very nice functional art. Dan

That is really great, All of it. I love that stuff.

Awsome looking stuff there, love the quiver and case,arrows too. very nice!!!

Great job Eric. Keep posting your projects.

Nice work indianguy. Is that true to life shooting form. I heard that the Indian form was similar to the photo? Also that the Indian bow was a close range weapon, and not really for shooting long distance.

That's a really great project. So many different skills needed to finish it all off, great work! I wish I had the time.....

Beautiful work! Is the string sinew?

beautifull i realy like the quiver.

Thank you for all the compliments. Now to try and answer a few questions.

As for the shoting form being correct I would have to say no, because most plains tribes if not all used some form of a pinch grip, here in the picture I am using the famalier 3 finger grip.

When it comes to range of these short bows there is always been debate. As for personal experience I can shoot one of these bows really well at 10-15 yards when I say well I can put most of my arrows within a 6" circle. I shoot out to 35 yards when attending some of our local shoots and the target is a 15" disc, I can hit the disc regular but with no great accuracy, my arrows are all over the target. I believe some of that has to do with having no solid anchor point. I also shoot recurves and longbows, so I switch back and forth which does'nt help.

I do think that anyone including a Native American who had grown up shooting nothing but this type of bow could without a doubt shoot it accuratly at great distances. I also believe that the closer the target the better, same thinking we have today, If they could have got to within 10 yards that was better than 20 and so on.

The thing that we often forget is that yes most of us eat our harvest but if we miss we can always go to the grocery store, the people of old could'nt do that so I think they were masters of their weapons, and I make this statement including any acient people not just the American Indian.

The string is dacron b-50 with red ocre on it not sinew, I used all the sinew I had on the bow but will make a sinew string when I get some more sinew.

As for a little more details about the bow. There are 3 horn sections on the belly, the total length of horn on the belly is appx 33" each section of horn is heavily sinew wrapped at the "butt" joints. It was grooved deep with a pair of jig saw blades. The bow was then also grooved with the same process, ofsetting one groove as to allow the pieces to fit together and also doubling the glueing surface. The bow is a little over 1" wide and narrows to 1/2" at the tips. The whole bow is covered in a earth pigment that I collect here where I live. It is in rock form and ground into powder. The Indians here use to use it and believed it had supernatural power. The grip is a piece of smoked brain tanned deer leather laced with sinew.

Thanks again for all the kind words.

Eric

THATS WHAT A PLAINS STYLE QUIVERS,SPOSED TA LOOK LIKE NOW!!!!!!

Beautiful work!

Now all you need is a horse, open range, and some Buffalo to hunt.

Eric that is some awesome work, and for the other Eric he need's to post a pic of his knife!

Eric, that's some beautiful work. Coot

Absolutely beautiful work IndianGuy. You always do great work. You are a very talented man. Thanks for sharing.

Nice! Bet it has some zip to it!

Real nice looking outfit. Really like the quiver/case with the fine beadwork.

Thanks for sharing.

Russell

If you think that it looks good in a picture, you ought to see his work in person. He does museum quality work. And he's still just a kid! LOL!

Chief

Whats next Eric?

Very nice work,all of it is beautiful especially the quiver. Pappy

Very nice

Eric, very nice indeed.

Just outstanding work sir.

PD

Cool stuff there partner!

I will post some pics in the next day or two of some projects I have finished recently.

Awesome work Eric!

Indian Guy --- super!! Excellent craftsmanship ---- too bad everybody here dosent' realize EXACTLY how tedious/difficult all that work really is..... your'e the man. oso

Very good.

You are a craftsman!

If you have already registered, please

sign in now

For new registrations

Click Here