From: SteelyDan
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Date: 24-Jan-23 |
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Here are three black locust self bows I have just finished up....my first try with locust. BL-1 is 64" and 52#@26". It wanted a handle and shelf, so that is what it got.
BL-2 didn't want a shelf. It finished out at 55#@26" and it really flings an arrow. It has some sexy curves on the bottom limb.
BL-3 has no shelf and is the light weight of the group at 42#@26". It got painted red and lifted a tiny splinter on the back by a knot. Consequently it got a rawhide patch and jute wrap. It took quite a bit of set for some reason.
SD
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From: SteelyDan
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Date: 24-Jan-23 |
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Sorry the pics are turned sideways.
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From: bentstick54
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Date: 24-Jan-23 |
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Those are good enough looking I can look at them sideways. Great job. Would love to see some full draw shots though.
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From: Supernaut
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Date: 24-Jan-23 |
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Nice job on those bows, look great! Enjoy them in good health.
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From: bodymanbowyer
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Date: 24-Jan-23 |
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Cool. I bet you had fun making those. JF
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From: Strick9
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Date: 24-Jan-23 |
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Those are gorgeous brother!
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From: SteelyDan
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Date: 24-Jan-23 |
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Black locust is not native to our area in the Pacific NorthWest so it took me a while to figure out what it was. These were prunings cut last January and had been lying stacked in a ladies field. Most were about 7 feet long and straight and 4-5 inches in circumference.
I got them in May and the bark still slipped right off....bonus. I reduced them in size and left them in the hayloft for the rest of the summer. It has quite a distinctive odour to the wood shavings.
I still have 3 staves left to work so maybe I will try a pyramid bow next or maybe try making a recurve. This is white wood but stained with dark walnut stain.
I will try and get someone to take pictures at full draw soon.
SD
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From: ron w
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Date: 24-Jan-23 |
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Nice job
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From: Runner
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Date: 24-Jan-23 |
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Looks like you did not remove the sapwood and just made them as is. Is that the pith showing in the fades?
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From: SteelyDan
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Date: 24-Jan-23 |
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You are right Runner. The staves were not large enough to have enough heartwood for a bow after removing the sapwood. After the bark was removed the back was clean and unviolated.
I read in one of the Traditional Bibles that sapwood will still make a durable bow. These have been shot over a hundred times each and show no signs of duress. BL-2 is very snappy indeed.
I heat treated the bellies on all the bows. BL-3 showed set almost from the start of the tillering process and was the only one that did not respond from the heat treat.
I respect your opinion. Let me know what else I could have done. Thanks.
SD
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From: Runner
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Date: 24-Jan-23 |
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I have no opinion either way. Some say that sapwood is best removed from non whitewood trees and others will counter with success stories. I do get how heartwood would have better compression abilities with resin saturation.
I just happened to notice the circle of the growth rings.
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From: Basinboy
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Date: 24-Jan-23 |
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Nice work Sir!
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From: Wayne Hess
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Date: 25-Jan-23 |
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3 Nice Black Locust bows
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From: PEARL DRUMS
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Date: 25-Jan-23 |
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You put the steering wheel on the wrong side :)
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From: Randog
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Date: 25-Jan-23 |
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Very nice.
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From: tradslinger
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Date: 25-Jan-23 |
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They look beautiful to me. Simple and elegant, light and deadly, a joy to shoot! what more can a guy ask for? I never have worked with any locust.
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From: Buzz
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Date: 25-Jan-23 |
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Nice work.
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From: Stickbow Felty
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Date: 25-Jan-23 |
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A friend just sent me this pic of some black locust staves. I will be getting a couple soon, merry Christmas to me
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From: Butch 72
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Date: 25-Jan-23 |
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Very Nice! I have a Black Locust 200' from where I sit , very tall and straight as an arrow . I've often wondered how many bows are in that tree....
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From: tradslinger
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Date: 25-Jan-23 |
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some pretty wood there Greg
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From: Bob Rowlands
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Date: 25-Jan-23 |
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Nice looking bows Colin. Good job. Thanks for the photos.
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From: George Tsoukalas
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Date: 25-Jan-23 |
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My last self bow was BL. I did not have enough heartwood for the back so I left 1 ring of sapwood. Interestingly, at least to me, LOL, is I caught that ring in the middle of changing to heartwood. I could tell by the color.
Anyway, the ideal scenario is an all heartwood back. Since sapwood changes to heartwood, from the inside out, the closer one gets to the heartwood the better (denser) the sapwood.
I have made lots of BL bows with sapwood backs but the ones with heartwood backs were probably less likely to splinter. But that was a long time ago and I have more experience now.
Anyway. Enjoy the journey, Dan.
George
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From: SteelyDan
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Date: 25-Jan-23 |
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Thanks for sharing your experience George. As I say, this was my first try at locust.
These bows are about as primitive as you can get. No tip overlays; just a bent stick. But they shoot well.
SD
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From: MStyles
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Date: 25-Jan-23 |
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Nice looking bows, congrats.
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From: George Tsoukalas
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Date: 25-Jan-23 |
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I'm with you, SD. Nice looking sticks. Jawge
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From: PA Bones
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Date: 25-Jan-23 |
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Great job on those black locust bows. I like the stain jobs. They all look like smooth shooting bows. They make great selfbows.
I recently cut a nice, 18” wide black locust tree and ended up with over a dozen staves (photo attached). Should be some future bows there.
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From: hickory
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Date: 25-Jan-23 |
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All three are beautiful!
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From: jwhitetail
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Date: 27-Jan-23 |
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Wow... those are beautiful bows. I dream about getting underway and making a BL bow.... we have a grove in front of our house. I did have a beautiful, straight stave last year, but I let it cure without splitting or debarking and the woodworms burrowed through it.
Let us know if you build more... Well done! JW
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From: Arvin
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Date: 02-Feb-23 |
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Nice bows!
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From: Johnnyb1815
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Date: 02-Feb-23 |
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Those are some fine looking bows man! I made my first BL this past fall, just a little 42" bow for my youngest nephew but I was impressed with how well it came out. I have one full size stave drying that should be good to work on come spring, cant wait.
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