Bow making seminar

[Dogshirt]

Our club, the Cheloh Han Free Trappers, held a bow making seminar this last weekend. Everyone had a great time and left
with a wealth of knowledge and AND a bow. 
Here are a few pics (I hope).

[Dogshirt]

My pics are too big to do more than one at a time.
Here is Myron Olson, one of the bowyers.

[Dogshirt]

Here is a handy thing for bow making.

[Dogshirt]

Not there yet, but it's taking shape!

[DandJofAZ]

Neat,,what wood were you using?

Doug

[Dogshirt]

Vine maple, hawthorn, yew, and one or two osage orange.

[halfstock]

Any of you bow makers use "Black Locust" ? I have a 48# Black Locust self bow that I watched being made perhaps ten years ago and it is one of the sweetest shooting bows I've ever seen. Several of the bow makers around here have tried to trade or purchase it from me, including native american bow makers, so I take it that it is something special. It doesn't look much different than any other but it does have what they called Cherokee recurve done with heat and steam. By the way it was made with an axe, hatchet, and draw knife plus old tea kettle and a wood cooking fire fueled with hickory. Place it was made was Ft. Townsen, Okla.

[halfstock]

Will make my apologies now didn't mean to kill the topic, was just making a statement  won't happen again.

[Dogshirt]

Didn't kill the thread. I have HEARD from my bowyers, that locust, unless quite long(75+") will "crystalize". I don't know, I'm
a rifleman, but this is what my teachers have told me.

[DandJofAZ]

75 inches...that is a 'long' bow....got 4 locusts to take down may try saving some lenghts and checking the grain..

Doug

[halfstock]

Doug: Make sure that they are "Black Locust" not honey locust. I'm told makes one helluva difference.

[chuck w.]

Hey Dogshirt, Give me a heads-up the next time you guys do a bow making class. E-burg is a bit less than 3 hrs. drive for me.

[Dogshirt]

Will do. I know they are planning another one for next September, may be another closer to you. I'll
check with Myron and let you know.

[chuck w.]

Thanks, I'd like a heads-up for those classes.

[Linc]

I can't say that black locust is anything special. It grows like a weed around here. Hard part would be to find some straight, not twisted or full of borer holes and tunnels. But should make a good bow wood. Just follow the rings like you would osage and do in the flatbow style to help minumize crysalling. A 68" bow would be totally feasible for a 28" draw.