OSAGE STICKBOW MAASAI (N0. 79)

asymmetrical ELB style with D cross section;

fumed for 7 days;

some nice character;

holds 1” reflex after shot in

self nocks, some rings on the back at tips are left working as a natural overlay;

long, black and skinny – named it “Maasai”

nothing is on this bow, except a brass mark for arrow pass indexer;

63#/28”

65½” ntn

1⅛” / ⅞” at handleOsage stickbow Maasai - 1 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 2 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 3 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 4 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 5 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 6 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 7 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 8 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 9 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 10 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 11 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 12 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 13 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 14 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 15 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 16 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 17 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 18 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 19 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 20 von 21 Osage stickbow Maasai - 21 von 21

¼” / ½” at string groove (tips)

7 Comments

Dear Simon,

I am very delighted and impressed by your fabulous woodwork. Thank you.
My interest in bowmaking started only recently….. and I immediately felt a little shame, and an exciting curiousity.
After more than 25 years of woodworking I thought I knew almost everything about any type of wood, and I sure know how to work it well (especially with classic hand tools).
Untill I tried to make a bow………
But to be short;
Last new moon I cut down a nice Persian Ironwood sapling (Parrotia persica). While it is drying, do you have any experience with it?

Sincerely,

Erwin Jan Ledegang
Master Shipwright
Amsterdam

Hi Erwin,
first sorry for my late answer – I hadn’t access to the net for some days. Glad you found my site and you like it.
To your question: I haven’t tried parrotia, just because I haven’t found suitable staves. I’m preety sure it will make fine bows,I think the wood is near to cornus mas. So my suggestion is to make the bow not longer as 60″ with a slightly bendy handle. Good luck on your project – happy bowmaking and welcome in the club!
Feel free to ask any question.

Dear Simon,
Thank you for your answer, no excuses needed….I’m not so fast in the digital world either,
Happy new year to you and your loved ones.

I have started working on the Persian Ironwood. Not dry enough yet but cured carefully in my workshop. I cut the 2.5″ sapling in two relatively short lengths (53″ and 49″), instinctively I decided to go for the reflexed sides.
The wood looks and smells like Birken but almost has the density of Buchs. Fairly straight lengthwise but irregular high crown. Started shaping the 49″ roughly, it has a natural Plains bow shape.
Being an apprentice in bow making, I would like to ask your advice on the profile.
Again, instinctively I want to go for your hollow limb design. The wood is still practically unbendable and I feel that’s the best way to start tillering without losing width (40x15mm mid limb now).
Maybe I should just find out along the way…..
Thank you for your beautiful craftsmanship, after 25 years of intense woodworking I started to lose the love for what I was doing (mostly because of the commercial side). I thought I knew it all until a friend asked me to make a bow, so I did and it broke…. Being a classic carpenter I went looking for a master, then I found your site.
Greetings.

Hi Simon,
What a beautiful bow! I was wondering what you have used to finish the bow and get such a high gloss. Also I was wondering how you are making the brass arrow marker. Do you have to drill into the handle to fasten it?

All the best and I love your work, I am really inspired by it. I have just started making bows last year and I am totally addicted to it.

Philipp Andres (I go under Philipp A in Primitive Archer)

Thank you Phillipp,
mostly all of my finishes are homemade mixtures which come one in matte and one in glossy (which I use don’t often). I’m pretty sure you can buy a suitable finish at home depot or so.
The arrow marker is a brass nail, shortened to about 3mm, drill a hole of 3mm into the neutral plane, glue in with ca,file flat with the surface of the bows side. That’s all – done in 5 min. Happy making!

I will write an article in the How To category (with recipe) in the upcoming future …

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