OT... draw knives and handmade bows..

ACStudios

ACStudios

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Apr 9, 2001
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Yvsa and all...

Sorry for the sort of OT post, but a while back we started talking about hand made bows and wood and the like.

Well, during my last nightly insomnia surfing session, I came across this website. So far, it looks like a good source of material on osage wood and bows.

So many things I want to do... so few nights :D

http://www.osageorange.com/

COULD a khuk perform the duties of a draw knife to de-bark a bow stave, or heck... even logs??? I would think it would be about perfect (or close to it). :confused:


Alan
 
Alan,
The khukuris work just great, you have to be careful of the point though. I plan on getting the stave I got from Yvsa finished as soon as my back straightens up. I'll post pics when it's finished.
God Bless.
Terry
 
Originally posted by ACStudios
Yvsa and all...


COULD a khuk perform the duties of a draw knife to de-bark a bow stave, or heck... even logs??? I would think it would be about perfect (or close to it). :confused:


Alan
Click to expand...
Sure, as T-Bone says it works well, you just have to use some care.
I used to use my Mom's Old Hickory Butcher Knife and then my own when I started making enough on the side to buy myself a toy now and then.:)
Sometimes the thin blades on Old Hickory Knives come in handy.

I understand that the ndns in your part of the states used to use Chokecherry for kids bow's.
Ash was also used in that part of the country. The ndns weren't no slouches when it came to making bows.
I have read and been told about the bows made from Mountain Sheep Horn and Elk Antler.
Many an excellent ndn bow has been destroyed by unknowing museum people merely by stringing them backwards and them trying to shoot them, even pull them back for that matter.
Backing them with sinew makes the bow appear to be strung the opposite way of what it should be.
Some of them reverse reflex so much they look like crab claws. Very short, very fast, very Strong Bows!!!!!!!!
Some went around 200Lbs I have read and been told!!!!!!

I have an old archery magazine that shows, I think, a 500 year old Turkish Laminate Bow at its full draw of 26"-28" IIRC, Very Impressive!!!!!!!
The craftsmen of old all around the world had a lot of talent to do what they did with such primitive tools. It surely had to be done with care and patience as well as knowledge and skill.
I most certainly believe there was no luck involved, at least on the 2nd one.;) :D

Can anyone imagine what a bow may of been like today if gunpowder had never been discovered?
Something to think about ainnit?:)
 
Being a professional 'woodchuck' I would vote for the drawkinfe that is intended for that pourpose. The Khukri excels at the rough work involed in stock prep, but after a point it becomes a bit awkward (unless you have a *LOT* of practice). Then you can even go a little finer and use a spokeshave (a really great tool for shaping irregular objects) and if you want to get really fancy and cut out about half of the time it would normaly take you to sand you could then use a chairscraper (this tool takes hair thin shavings from wood and leaves a very smooth finish, comprable to 180 or finer sandpaper).

All of these tools can be found for cheap via ebay, flea markets or antique dealers. If you want to know what is out there take a look at the following palces...

http://www.garrettwade.com/

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/index.asp?SID=&ccurrency=2

http://www.hartvilletool.com/

http://shop.woodcraft.com/woodcraft...DBWA9LV2XMM8JLN30BU0K4URJJXFWVF&gift=&giftID=

http://www.woodjoytools.com/tools.html

These are a few if the really good tools sites out there for wood tools. My Fav is the woodjoy site. Their tools are a pleasure to use, and it makes work a lot more fun to have good tools.
 
Matt,

Thank you very much for your input and the links. I'm glad that the tools you mentioned are inexpensive... exactly my price range (well, maybe even a *little* bit out of it).

Yvsa,

Yep, I agree... there are some incredible examples of old bows out there. When I finally get a chance to build mine, I plan on backing it with sinew... I even found a site that basically gives the instructions on how to do it. I'm sure the first one will resemble my old refridgerator art that I used to bring home to mom (and Wal)... but hopefully, the second + will be better...

Alan
 
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