Less sinew?
How few grammes of sinew have you successfully made a horn bow with?
I am imagining that if the sinew is aligned and stretched properly out on the bow, it should be possible to make light-weight composites with very little sinew - if the bow is properly designed too.
Say, what would the required minimum be for a 40-pound small 42-inch turkish composite? 50 grammes?
I am imagining that if the sinew is aligned and stretched properly out on the bow, it should be possible to make light-weight composites with very little sinew - if the bow is properly designed too.
Say, what would the required minimum be for a 40-pound small 42-inch turkish composite? 50 grammes?
I like this idea, because I wonder if it is even possible to make highly efficient horn bows for low weight designes.
I used 70 grams for the 65# Crimean-Tatar bow and the sinew layer is thick enough that the core is no longer visible. From what I have seen here, this is not necessary, the sinew may be thinner than that. Therefore, I think 50 grams is plenty.
I would also like to know which is better: Wide limbs, reduced thickness, heavily reflexed or less width and less reflex but increased thickness for the same draw weight. Perhaps a lighter bow works better with low reflex to achieve stability with a reduced width.
Daniel
I would also like to know which is better: Wide limbs, reduced thickness, heavily reflexed or less width and less reflex but increased thickness for the same draw weight. Perhaps a lighter bow works better with low reflex to achieve stability with a reduced width.
Daniel
Reduced width is what Adam Karpowicz writes in his book would be the way to go to achieve a reduced draw weight yet still efficient bow. If it were not for the reduced stability...
Cool Daniel! I'm also a little intrigued by hearing that the Korean bows have sinew layers of only 2mm - and that the old Turkish bows had only 2mm thick sinew at the middle of the limbs.
Arry, I think that is a very good point. I think also making the limbs narrower is the way to go if one wants to reduce the amount of sinew - so that it can be stacked more in the thickness.
On the other hand, it would be a terrible experience to break the wooden core because of a too thin sinew layer. Likewise I prefer to let the sinew layer wrap all around the wooden core onto the horn a little, to secure the glue line between the wood and the horn. I think it is a good precaution worth spending a little sinew on.
Arry, I think that is a very good point. I think also making the limbs narrower is the way to go if one wants to reduce the amount of sinew - so that it can be stacked more in the thickness.
On the other hand, it would be a terrible experience to break the wooden core because of a too thin sinew layer. Likewise I prefer to let the sinew layer wrap all around the wooden core onto the horn a little, to secure the glue line between the wood and the horn. I think it is a good precaution worth spending a little sinew on.
I think about mass of limbs to. Less sinew, less horn it is only way to reduce weight. Then Wood must be excellent quality! I have started experiment to make core from thin 1mm x 40mm strips of maple wood saturated with carp blader glue, and than glued together. Time ago I have nice results with my hazel bow core improvement with glue penetration now i have 3 strips glued together one more I have to add it. It looks promising to me . Only think that bothers me is the time . Glue dryes to slowly. And each strip is impregnated with glue separately.
How about making the kassans from light wood such as Spruce, Pine or Aspen or Willow? I mean you cannot make the tips much narrower than standard design and expect them not to bend sideways.
5 piece construction would be required, unless you want to combine handle and sal, which does not sound all that bad idea after all. (It would require some overlay for handle tough).
5 piece construction would be required, unless you want to combine handle and sal, which does not sound all that bad idea after all. (It would require some overlay for handle tough).
jkekoni wrote:
How about making the kassans from light wood such as Spruce, Pine or Aspen or Willow? I mean you cannot make the tips much narrower than standard design and expect them not to bend sideways.
5 piece construction would be required, unless you want to combine handle and sal, which does not sound all that bad idea after all. (It would require some overlay for handle tough).
In my opinion all 4 may work, if there is branch with natural grain. A maple (Acer platanoides) is very light wood to. I think spruce will be hard to find with that kind of natural grain for casan. Willow may fail (it is only my opinion). Aspen is good shock absorber in my country aspen and bird-cherry are used for ax and big hammer handles. Aspen is litle bit fragile, but if there is branch, it may be handy. Branch of Pine I think will be just what you are looking for to reduce weight a litle.
I have created only somthing like magyar type of horn bows (I do not know whether they are authentic Magyar, just look, aprox. dimensions and making process method basicly are the same). I use 4 basic wooden parts to build the core . Handle, both limbs are one piece material and siahs with fish tale joints , it is simple construction but none of the owners and friends complained about damages jet.