wide limbed BL from a board (No. 90) – Stonehill Primitive Bows

Some time ago a guy was here searching in my pile for BL staves. He came across a thick board, looked at it and sourced out. I was watching him and asked why he did that and got the answer it is a board and not a stave, so he let it here. In his meaning boards do not make bows.

Well that guy went away and I had to sort my staves back in the rack and you know it already – I couldn’t lay back that BL board. It wasn’t something special, but nearly flawless, no knots, no holes. Two minutes later it was on the bench and I decided to make it wide limbed because of its low density (sg).

One limb was a bit deflex, the other straight. No problem to balance out with some dry heat. After that (slightly working) recurves are steamed in. The board wasn’t thick enough for a normal handle, a glued on piece of a left over from the same board solved the problem. The cross section of the limbs is exact rectangular. The bow is asymmetric, center is 1″ below arrow pass.

This bow is not backed! So chasing a ring is essential – and yes I did.
Now it is no difference to a selfbow from a stave or sapling.

The color was absolutely boring, I tried a new idea – staining with iron-chloride and vinegar. It got a camo color, throw that bow in the bush and you will never find it again. On the belly some stain is sanded off and that portions dyed with osage soup. Scratching the edges gives another accent.

She got a green leather grip, inlayed in the wood. The seam is on an edge of the back.

Tips and arrow pass is deer antler.

I had luck, my son Andi visited us and he took the pics (thank you – much more quality than mine!). The pics were made at one of my favorite places in my homeland, some really old oaks are growing there.

ntn: 66”

mass: 592 grams

54#/28”

max. width: 2”

10”: 10,0

12”: 15,9 (+ 5,9)

14”: 21,2 (+ 5,3)

16”: 26,2 (+ 5,0)

18”: 31,2 (+ 5,0)

20”: 35,9 (+ 4,7)

22”: 40,6 (+ 4,7)

24”: 45,5 (+ 4,9)