Osage 5curve with a concave back 49#/28” (No. 97)

This bow is made out of a unique stave. The back is along almost the entire length homogenous concave. This is enormous mass saving, but tillering is a bit more complicated.

The belly ridge comes out of the fades and ends with the tips. Cross section is more or less a 5edge with a concave base (back) and tapers at the last inches into a V-shape.

The bow is very light by mass and I think it would be a good candidate for flight shooting too. I’m curious about the calculation with Steve’s mass theory.

One minor crack at one side of the upper limb (probably a wind check) was filled with thin super glue – no problem.

The bow seems to be stiff handled, but it isn’t. There is a very little gentle bending in the handle and the built up is therefore done with three layers of sole leather. Another piece of leather glued onto the back made the handle deep enough for a comfort grip.

The handle is wrapped with black leather lacing and linen yarn.

Black buffalo tip overlays.

The back is darkened with osage soup for a two tone appearance.

I like this bow very much and hope the new owner also.

49#/28”

ntn: 57”

bh: 5¼”

max w: 2”

mass: 428 grams

asymetric

bendy handle (very, very little)

08”: 07,0

10”: 12,2 (+ 5,2)

12”: 16,8 (+ 4,6)

14”: 20,9 (+ 4,1)

16”: 25,0 (+ 4,1)

18”: 29,1 (+ 4,1)

20”: 33,0 (+ 3,9)

22”: 36,8 (+ 3,8)

24”: 41,0 (+ 4,2)

26”: 44,6 (+ 4,6)

28”: 49,3 (+ 4,7)

 

13 Comments

Thanks Leon,
it is the natural back of this stave. Probably the 1 under 1000 …

Nice to have you here checking out my site.

Simon

Simon, how are you! Just to say hello, and congratulate you on this last 3 bows, particulary this one! Amazing bow, very elegant! And like your hat too! 🙂 big hug from Portugal!

Hi Simon,

That is a fantastic looking bow, I am very intrigued by it! Did you present it on PA as well? I find the geometry you have come up with really great and what a light weight bow it is as with that draw weight! How did you recurve it, with dry heat and oil? Did you add the belly ridge after recurving it? I have seen this type of wood with a concave back on maple trees in my bush where two trees grow very closely together and the one wraps itself almost around the other. Since they are no good for lumber, I should try to cut some of them and try the same thing. Do you think this would work with maple as well?

Thank you Philipp,
the recurves are steamed in and the ridges are carved after steaming. And maple is good bow wood, try it! At least I would do so.

Interesting bow. Question, what made you decide to make the belly like a blade?

I’ve never seen something like that before.

Chris, it is just my loving. You can make a rounded belly or even a flat belly. A flat belly is maybe not the best in this case, because the forces are concentrated in the limbs sides and not distributed ober the whole width.

One last thing, is It only for natural concaves in the stave or can a person carve a concave out of the back, assuming they chase a ring?

In this case the concave back is natural.
Carving a concave in a natural flat back is doable, if you can avoid grain run out. But its lot of work and difficult and I see no really advantage.
I would suggest carving a concave belly instead (what I call a HLD (hollow limb design)).

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