korean bow handle

amaguk · Post by **amaguk** » Fri Mar 11, 2016 7:03 am

looking for ideas on building up a korean bow handle and wrap. I have built several korean style bows but having a hard time making a proper comfortable handle. Any ideas would be helpful thanks. Victor

basilisk120 · Post by **basilisk120** » Fri Mar 11, 2016 3:43 pm

Mine uses a dense foam rubber,
Cork might be a good option for a dense and moldable material.
I wonder how something like bass wood would work. It would be easily carverable.

As for wraps I asked that question on the Korean bow forum and got a bunch of good answers http://www.koreanarchery.org/punbb/viewtopic.php?id=626 If you haven't seen this yet.

amaguk · Post by **amaguk** » Fri Mar 11, 2016 5:11 pm

Thank you for that info i really want to know what people use for the build up instead of the heard rubber. I will keep searching.

Amarutu · Post by **Amarutu** » Fri Mar 11, 2016 7:49 pm

I use cork and it works very well.

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 4:07 am

I have a late nineteenth century Korean bow and the handle seems to be built up with cloth tape. McEwen analysed one he was repairing and the build up on the belly side was compressed paper. The whole area was wrapped in velvet.

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 4:07 am

Korea was a source for the cork used on the handles of Qing bows and there are cork oaks growing in parks in Seoul. It makes a good handle padding material. Thin layers can be glued together to the required thickness and carved with a sharp knife. The reconstituted cork mats used by model railway enthusiasts work well and are easy to find in hobby shops.

pcoutin · Post by **pcoutin** » Sat Mar 12, 2016 9:25 am

I wrapped suede leather around my KTB's handle.