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Author Topic: Homemade Bow material  (Read 1961 times)

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Offline deernhog

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Homemade Bow material
« on: December 15, 2008, 06:19:16 PM »
I made my own white oak last year about this time 47 lbs @ 30" draw. I was wanting to make another out of Bois D arc so I tok off thru the woods. I quickly became frustrated trying to locate Bois D Arc that suited me. I did though find a stand of persimmon tall and straight. Some of the trees could make staves up to 70".  Anyone here ever try to make a bow from persimmon. I grew up shooting wrist rockets (can't call them what my grampa called them) made from persimmon and inner tube.
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Offline ripmyfly

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Re: Homemade Bow material
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2008, 06:58:02 PM »
I have seen some bows made out of persimmon but cant remember how they turned out. We call wrist rockets flips around here & my favorite is made from wild cherry & is 40 years old.
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Offline ripmyfly

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Re: Homemade Bow material
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2008, 06:59:03 PM »
Dont know where you are but if close enough I could trade you some osage staves. Im in SE Tennessee
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Offline AtlLaw

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Re: Homemade Bow material
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2008, 07:15:07 AM »
Quote from: ripmyfly on December 15, 2008, 06:59:03 PM
Dont know where you are but if close enough I could trade you some osage staves. Im in SE Tennessee

Don't waste good wood on deernhog, the boy ain't got no artistic ability!   :D  While I, on the other hand, become quite accomplished at whatever I do!   ;D  And I am just across the border from you; north Atlanta area.  I didn't even know they had osage orange in Tenn.!   :o  Tell ya what, give me enough for both of us  and I'll make sure he gets his share... trust me  :P
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Offline deernhog

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Re: Homemade Bow material
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2008, 01:27:10 PM »
Horseapple trees boys, horseapple trees.  Loved them things when I was a kid we always managed to get that sap all over us and it would give you a hell of a rash. We would get into fights with them green things and let me tell you a whap on the head with one rattled your world. Took my brother off his bike like a hollywood stunt man with one. ;D 
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Offline ripmyfly

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Re: Homemade Bow material
« Reply #5 on: December 16, 2008, 03:13:59 PM »
Man Mid Tn is loaded w/ hedgeapples, osage orange, or bodart trees as my grandmother called them. Not many here in East Tn. I have a deer lease in mid Tn that is cover & you all are welcome to some. Seriously! Esp if you happen to have a couple good knapping slabs to trade  :)
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Offline AtlLaw

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Re: Homemade Bow material
« Reply #6 on: December 17, 2008, 04:48:42 AM »
Quote from: ripmyfly on December 16, 2008, 03:13:59 PM
Man Mid Tn is loaded w/ hedgeapples, osage orange,

Well I'll just be dipped in horse hockey!   :o  I had NO idea!  Have you seen any straight enough and big enough to quarter into bow stave's for longbows?   :-\ < Drool, pant, slobber...>

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I have a deer lease in mid Tn that is cover & you all are welcome to some. Seriously!

Now you just can't get more generous then that!   ;D  'corse you could cut and stack them for us... or cut, stack and ship...  :D ;)

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Esp if you happen to have a couple good knapping slabs to trade 

Okay, now I see his evil plan... all of a sudden it's "to trade!"   >:(  So much for their still being generous people in the world!  Uh, BTW... what's a knapping slab?   ???   :D
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Richard
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Offline ripmyfly

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Re: Homemade Bow material
« Reply #7 on: December 17, 2008, 01:31:06 PM »
Now thats funny right there. Actually I did use the trade work way up there in this post. But you know really I would enjoy the company & hep gathering a dozen or so staves for the each of us. A knapping slab in my definition of a slab of rock (flint,quartz, some chirt) that you can flake off & kap into arrowheads. BTW there are around 100 osages on my deer lease & alot have a straight trunk or two we can work off. I am working on a selfbow out of a large sucker growth of one of the bigger trees right now. The also make awesome atlatls!!! If your interested we can plan a trip towards the end of January.... have to finish feeling the freezer now.
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Offline Badnews Bob

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Re: Homemade Bow material
« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2009, 08:43:47 AM »
I am going with a friend to cut some osage for fire wood, he is gonna let me get some peices to season for bow work, I've never done anything of the sort so, What do I need to look for, As in Dia, lenght, straight or curved, any help at all I hope to save some pieces from the fire he will also let me store some in his barn to season any suggestion on how I should proceed there?

Need more input, Thanks Bob 8)
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Offline deernhog

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Re: Homemade Bow material
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2009, 12:35:02 PM »
Bois d arc for firewood is a no-no around here, causes to much creosote and pops to much throwing sparks out of the stove. It makes a hell of a fence post though. I can show you some that are still standing after at least 50 years.
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Offline JonD.

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Re: Homemade Bow material
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2009, 03:25:35 AM »
Quote from: deernhog on February 14, 2009, 12:35:02 PM
Bois d arc for firewood is a no-no around here, causes to much creosote and pops to much throwing sparks out of the stove. It makes a hell of a fence post though. I can show you some that are still standing after at least 50 years.

What did you use to cut it? Every hedge tree I ever tried dulled the chain on the saw real bad.

I never made the connection that hedge/horseapple trees are what is known in the bow making world as osage orange/bois d arc. I see why it is a much desired bow wood. But it is also very hard to work with.
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Offline theoldarcher

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Re: Homemade Bow material
« Reply #11 on: March 27, 2009, 04:01:41 AM »
If you love Osage, you would cry to see all the fence rows and field corner wood lots here in southern Michigan being dozed up and burned to make larger fields for pivot irrigation systems.  I don't fault farmers for making fields larger and irrigation more efficient, but I would love to be on a 'call first' list to get some logs prior to burning them in a heap.

My first bow, nearly 60 years ago, was Osage with 8 river cane arrows, and I have loved the wood ever since.  I have had self bows out of black locust, horn beam, and lots of others over 60 years with trad bows, but Osage still trips my trigger!

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Offline AtlLaw

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Re: Homemade Bow material
« Reply #12 on: March 27, 2009, 04:59:25 AM »
Quote from: ripmyfly on December 17, 2008, 01:31:06 PM
If your interested we can plan a trip towards the end of January....

Okay Fly Ripper... We got a run to Greensboro in April.  You got my bow staves ready?   ???  ;)  ;D
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Richard
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Offline ripmyfly

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Re: Homemade Bow material
« Reply #13 on: March 28, 2009, 01:42:35 PM »
And to think I thought this was going to be a joint adventure :). I guess I could try & drive over & cut you a couple.
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Offline AtlLaw

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Re: Homemade Bow material
« Reply #14 on: March 29, 2009, 06:24:31 AM »
Quote from: ripmyfly on March 28, 2009, 01:42:35 PM
I guess I could try & drive over & cut you a couple.

No no, I was only kidding...  ;)  well, okay, if you insist... I'll let you do it if it will make you happy!   :-*

Seriously though, what city are you close to?  It might be a nice ride up there!
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Offline ripmyfly

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Re: Homemade Bow material
« Reply #15 on: March 29, 2009, 04:24:10 PM »
I am 35 NE of Chattanooga in the edge of the mountains. The osage is about 1.5 hours west of me. I would love for you to come up. I will harvest them for you as soon as turkey season is over & won't complain more than a little bit! LOL!
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"If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace.
We ask not your council or arms.
Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you.
May your chains sit lightly upon you.
and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen" - Samuel Adams
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