Turkish bow (long) 132 cm #70@28

bobbyp · Post by **bobbyp** » Mon Mar 10, 2014 10:25 pm

Hi All!

This is my first Turkish bow (long) 132 cm ntn 70lbs@28.
I started this project nearly a year ago and I wasn't sure if I make it this far..
The core is Cherry -supplied by Mikekeswick. Thanks for that Mike!
Water Buffalo horn and deer sinew. I used only hide glue (pearl glue) as I didn't have access to fish bladder glue at the time but it worked perfectly.
The bow was seasoning for 6 months before I started opening the bow from a near Pretzel shape. Managed to train the bow on the Tepeliks to be able to string it. I used Dacron for the string and the bracing height is "7.
During the tillering process I have noticed that one limb is significantly stronger than the other one so I had to scrape some horn away but as you can see that side (left side on the picture) is still not playing ball and needs fixing. Also had some twist at the Kasan section of the same limb which I corrected with heat (heated both sides equally) but the twist still keep coming back eventually. I have not applied heat at the Sal sections.
Please feel free to comment and advise the best way of correcting the bend in the Sal section of the left side limb. That side is actually the lower limb once the bow is strung. Regardless the unequal bend the bow was performing very well last week when we were testing it.
Thanks,

bobbyp · Post by **bobbyp** » Mon Mar 10, 2014 10:27 pm

2 more pictures ,,,

lurz · Post by **lurz** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 4:32 pm

Congratulations! Bending hornbow!
Yes, think the left limb looks still a little stiff in the middle of sal. If it was my bow, I think I would scrape a little more there. But wait for more comments, I don't have that much experience. When you used heat to correct the twist, did you overcorrect a little, and hold until it was cooled?

bobbyp · Post by **bobbyp** » Wed Mar 12, 2014 8:26 pm

Thanks very much!

Yes, that is exactly what I have done but was not satisfied with the result so next day heated it again then left it clamped down to my workbench till next morning. looked ok for a while and looks better then it was but still not satisfied.
I think I will have to remove more horn from that area but not too sure exactly where. Maybe at the middle of the Sal?

scemdonmez · Post by **scemdonmez** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:25 am

Congrats. İt looks very good for the first one. Make thicker kasan for the next bow. Do not heat the bow too much for correction.
Cem

lurz · Post by **lurz** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 1:12 pm

I'll try to explain where I meant.
On the strung picture, (esp. the second from top) the limb goes out from the handle, then bends quite clearly. From the end of that bend it seems to me the limb is quite straight out to the kasan eye. I think I would like that part to bend just a little? Careful not to take any more in the part that is already bending, or to close to the kasan eye.

Arry · Post by **Arry** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 4:15 pm

Congrats! You have created a working hornbow

How long did it take you to bring this bow to this stage?

bobbyp · Post by **bobbyp** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:46 pm

Cem: thank you very much! It means a lot to me as I admire your work.

Lurz: I think you are completely right. I came to the same conclusion. I will fix that area.
Arry: thanks! It took 12 months to get to this stage but I started opening and tillering the bow only 2 weeks ago.

mikekeswick · Post by **mikekeswick** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 8:02 am

Great effort! A working hornbow is a beautiful thing!