Selfbows

Here are some bows in progress and some finished bows. First on the left is about 63 inches long. I'm shooting for 65 pounds on that one. Second is from a green half log from a young tree. I'll steam it to straighten it. It's got shellac on the back to keep from checking. The third is from a Kentucky log that dried for ten years before splitting. It split like a watermellon and has drying cracks in the back. Fourth is a kid's bow that was real crooked and knotty. It's a lot straighter now after heating and straightening. The fifth is my hunting bow from that Kentucky log. It's about 65 inches and pulls 78 pounds at 27 1/2 inches. The sixth is my grown daughter's bow. The seventh is spliced from some twisted Tennessee sister billets and will be Ruth's bow.