sinew backed osage 105#/28″ (No. 32)

This was a never ending story, lasting over two years. It started as an experimental project to see what is possible with osage/sinew and what is the right ratio. I did several sinew layers on that, in between the bow was shot and tillered and retillered and so on. But now I call it finished!

The stave needed several times heat correcting, also twist (horrible!) correcting until the string was nearly in line. This bow has single kerf nocks cut in the same side (not opposing) – not for looks, but to bring the string in the correct position.

This piece has lot of character, snakey and sideward changing crown on the back. Layout is a symmetrical, bend through the handle, static recurve.

Length is only 56”, recurves are steamed in, sinew is all ostrich (from the pet shop!).
The last layer is applied as heavy crown, I estimate the ratio 1:3 (sinew/osage). Sinew wrappings are under the nocks and in the handle area, to prevent popping off.

Handle is upholstered with a strip of leather for more comfort, hemp wrap is particularly dyed in matching colors of the skins. The skins are glued on with TBIII and now finished with shellac and a few coatings of hardoil. Arrow pass is stingray leather.

Let me hear your estimations about the drawweight! Tip: it’s 41/16 mm midlimb, mass is 682grams.
Bow can be drawn to 28”.

hat heavy sinew package on the back caused several checks on the belly side, but no problem:

Upper limb is left

I have an excel sheet for doing my f/d curves, it ends at a drawweight of 90lbs.

This bow can be drawn to 28″ (not by me!) and has here a drawweight of 105lbs.

A buddy of mine can shoot this monster. One day I gave it to him for testing and he was so enthusistic he didn’t stop for two hours. I can draw it to only max. 90#.