bamboo bow and cores
i started my first hornbows years ago. for many reasons,most bows broke and some were too strong to draw. i have to say it is hard to glue horn to bamboo.i learn sth new each time i make a bow,and it is fun to learn.
i happened to find some bamboo pieces under the sofa,and some on my roof. i must have stored them years ago. an idea came to me --why not try some bamboo bows. :)
in Ming dynasty,chinese bowyers would smoke the bamboo for at least 6 months.i smoked the pieces for a month when my father was making bacon.then i glue the peeces together.
bamboo core and belly,mullberry handle,black locust siayah,fish glue.3layers of sinew will be applied.
i happened to find some bamboo pieces under the sofa,and some on my roof. i must have stored them years ago. an idea came to me --why not try some bamboo bows. :)
in Ming dynasty,chinese bowyers would smoke the bamboo for at least 6 months.i smoked the pieces for a month when my father was making bacon.then i glue the peeces together.
bamboo core and belly,mullberry handle,black locust siayah,fish glue.3layers of sinew will be applied.
siayah , V slice and rope clamp the pieces tegether
anther bamboo bow. my first bamboo recurve was damaged when i was stringing it.the belly bamboo wrinkle as if sb had hammered it . so this new bamboo bow doesn't have a great recurve.
back,core,belly and handle are all bamboo :lol:
back,core,belly and handle are all bamboo :lol:
some other bamboo cores
core:bamboo belly:baffallo horns handle and siayah:mulberry ,black locust(some are heat bent and some are natural branches)
core:bamboo belly:baffallo horns handle and siayah:mulberry ,black locust(some are heat bent and some are natural branches)
the cores have been stored for 2months.later on,3-4 layers of sinew will be applied.
a mancu bow
core:100cm siayah:19cm handle:14cm horn:4.5mm bamboo:3.5mm
i was too careless to put a knot at the max beding point,so i have to make the bending point a little near to the handle- like a turkish bow.
core:100cm siayah:19cm handle:14cm horn:4.5mm bamboo:3.5mm
i was too careless to put a knot at the max beding point,so i have to make the bending point a little near to the handle- like a turkish bow.
:o nice work ! .. and good to see another chinese bowyer.
you use the 3-part core without spliced grip piece (me too).
I like the uppermost bow (ming style ?).
:-)
you use the 3-part core without spliced grip piece (me too).
I like the uppermost bow (ming style ?).
:-)
I like all these bows specially this one at the first picture with nice grip(this is my taste). Can you tell me what is the lenght of this bow nock to nock and also lenght of siyahs. Also, what is the lenght of first bow in the raw who has bigger reflex at the limbs?
I hope your bows will work good, can't wait to see final works.
Greetings,
Zoran
I hope your bows will work good, can't wait to see final works.
Greetings,
Zoran
since Mancu conquered China,it had been illegal to make any other types of hornbows.Ming bow has disappeared for a long time.according to a 17-century encyclopedia,ming bow are made in a similar way as the kerean bow.
the length of the upper bows is 100cm core and tips are 15cm. the bows are 130 in total. the mancu bow is 100cm core and 19cm tip---but will be shortened to 15cm later.
the length of the upper bows is 100cm core and tips are 15cm. the bows are 130 in total. the mancu bow is 100cm core and 19cm tip---but will be shortened to 15cm later.
thats interesting.
which encyclopedia is this (17th century ?).
which encyclopedia is this (17th century ?).
Are you sure about those measurements? I have a copy of the encyclopaedia in English and the measurements are not the same.