I've always been drawn to the simple beauty of this design. I've not built many bows but I've owned and shot some selfbows built by some of the best primitive bowyers in our sport. These were all rigid handle designs and were great shooting bows. However the last one I built was a semi bendy and I seem to be more accurate with this design. Does anyone else experience this as well or is it just a fluke? I'll thank you all in advance for your opinions.

I don't think that type is inherently more accurate, or that I'm any more accurate with them than I am with other well designed and constructed bows, so I'd be inclined to believe more that there's a quality or two in that particular bow that's aiding your accuracy.

Yes, I like the bend in the handle design. The key is not to let the n=handle bend too much so it does not kick. I like the design where the bow bends through the handle and fades as well. Jawge

It's all I make now it seems to suit me.Really shines with short bows.Seem to cast heavier arrows better.

I still love the lines on that bow, Steve-o

I have made a bunch of selfbows, mostly osage, even though we make them similar, every now and they a jewel comes to the surface for no apparent reason.

With wood properties being so diverse, even from the same tree, there is no predictable way to figure out why this happens.

I couldn't agree more, Eric.

I have a self-made Cherokee style bow - bendy handle of hackberry. I too am surprised by how well I shoot that bow and it is surprisingly fast.

Pearl,You know I had the best tiller Nazi in the world eyeballin it from start to finish!:)

any proven design can be very accuraate,, I like the bendy handle bows and they can be accuratae have great cast,, some of my favorite bows,, I have stiff handle bows that shoot great as well,, apples and oragnes i think,, :)

I JUST finished up a bendy handle with a grip you'd swear was stiff by looking at it. It behaves like a bendy, but draws and feels like a rigid handle. Very unique rig.

Lets see some pics Chris!

That is a gorgeous profile! I agree with most here, that every now and then you get one that just does things right for you. We're not manufacturing products with ultra consistent/predictable materials. It's equal parts art and science, and to me, that is the attraction. From the look of your dimensions, I'm guessing that bow doesn't bend a lot through the handle, but just enough to call it such. Looks like you just nailed things with your execution! Congrats and enjoy it.

Ya I've always heard without pics it's not true :)

Fine, fine fine. Its a bit over 50#. The handle is entirely cork I glued on in thin strips and shaped, it flexes nicely w the bow. The bow came from an osage sapling that was about 2" round max.

Sapwood is still on this one.

Beautiful bow Steve. Who is the tiller Nazi? lol I have tried making a few self bows. My hat is off to you. Very nice job. I have three Osage staves I traded Fred Arnold for. One of these days. I hope to post a real shooter too. Fred and Dire Wolf answered a lot of my self bow questions. Wish I could of watched one of those guys make a bow from start to finish. Fred was a really good guy. Miss him and his input. Really liked his take down self bows. You could tell Dire Wolf was real passionate about making self bows. Always enjoyed his posts as well.

Hey PD, Tell me more about the cork in the handle and the small diameter sapling. I've got a 3" diameter I cut in OK. and a 12" dia. cut in OH. Thanks John

I concur with Jeff Durnell...I too seem better with a working handle.It seems to be better suited to the grip style i prefer..I tend to torque stacked bellied bows..i like the flat thin handle,,with a thin,,mildly radiused layer of cork to prevent too much pressure on the edges of the handle area...AS Nolz said,,it is better suited to the shorter brush style bows as well.Easier for me to make and find suitable material for as well as lighter in the hand,which i like,,so its a win situation for me..

I meant to say,,Stacked Handled Bows.

Steve, I can understand being more accurate, the slight bendy handle tends to give you a smoother stack free draw it helps in hitting and holding a consistent anchor point.

Here's my bend through the handle Self Osage ELB

Don, Pearl Drums is the tiller Nazi:) Every time I thought my tiller looked good on this bow I'd send him a pic and he'd have me taking a few scrapes here and there till I finally made it! I really appreciated him sharing his skills with me! Nice bow Phil. Thanks everyone for sharing your opinions and pics.I'd love to see more!

"Hey PD, Tell me more about the cork in the handle and the small diameter sapling. I've got a 3" diameter I cut in OK. and a 12" dia. cut in OH. Thanks John"

John I buy sheets of 1/4" thick cork to help with a lot of my bow projects. On the bow above I stacked and glued about 8 pieces together to get a 2" stack. I used an Ace bandage to make it conform to the bow body itself as it dried. I used TB3 to hold it together. I would wait at least a few days to let the glue dry, its ALOT of glue. I shape the cork with a cheap 4 in 1 rasp and sand paper, gotta go slow with it so it doesn't tear or chunk out on you. Then I wrapped and saturated with TB3 the entire fade handle area with string to make it bomb-proof. As far as the pole is concerned. It was a tiny one a buddy gave me. I took the bark and cambium off and left all the sapwood behind. From the side and back it looks all sapwood, but the belly is solid heartwood. Saplings in any species make the best of the best bows.

Thanks PD, was thinking about a bendy handle made of leather slices but I like the cork better. Still have cork from my decoy carving days. John

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