First Ottoman Hornbow
Hello, dear everyone!
This is my first attempt in a making hornbow.
All comments & advices are welcome!
Thank you in advance!
Materials I've used:
Limbs- Norway maple(Acer platanoides)
Grip - Wild pear (Pyrus)
Horns - Water buffalo
Horse sinew.
Bow lenght - 42inch.
Lenght of each section of the bow:
Grip- 4 inch.
Sals- 10inch
Kasan - 6 inch
Tips - 3 inch
Here is a pictures of how the process has started:
This is my first attempt in a making hornbow.
All comments & advices are welcome!
Thank you in advance!
Materials I've used:
Limbs- Norway maple(Acer platanoides)
Grip - Wild pear (Pyrus)
Horns - Water buffalo
Horse sinew.
Bow lenght - 42inch.
Lenght of each section of the bow:
Grip- 4 inch.
Sals- 10inch
Kasan - 6 inch
Tips - 3 inch
Here is a pictures of how the process has started:
Handle splices 5inch
Grooved core & Horn. Coating the horn
Horn to core. Unfortunately after gluening the second slat of horn I noticed that the horn cracked across. So I took off the horns, cleaned the whole core & started gluening another pair of horn slats to the same core
I've grooved the core slightly & coated it for 7 times with thin glue. And a few days ago I started sinewing it. Everything was ok. But when my glue became firm(after about 20 hours) but not dry I started to tie limbs into reflex & noticed that the splice begun to move on one limb. And the horn on the edges delaminated in this area.
Vonegelut wrote:
I've grooved the core slightly & coated it for 7 times with thin glue. And a few days ago I started sinewing it. Everything was ok. But when my glue became firm(after about 20 hours) but not dry I started to tie limbs into reflex & noticed that the splice begun to move on one limb. And the horn on the edges delaminated in this area.
I had the same happen to my first crab bow. Quite frustrating after all the work up untill that stage...
Back then it was suggested the glue line between the horn and wood had been a little porous, so the moisture from sinewing could enter and weaken the bond too much.
How much time did you give it inbetween glueing the horn and starting to sinew?
Glueing the horn properly to the core seems to be the most difficult task in making horn bows. Saturating the horn and core with water-like hide glue dried inbetween the layers, and then finally glueing the horn with thick glue that stays liquid while clamping, should be the trick. - as you know.
I think it is a good idea to start glueing the horns from the grip and out, since the sals are the most important section of the limbs. Also, it is probably a good idea to dab in extra glue inbetween the horn and core while clamping, to make sure there is no air bubbles trapped in the joint.
Back then it was suggested the glue line between the horn and wood had been a little porous, so the moisture from sinewing could enter and weaken the bond too much.
How much time did you give it inbetween glueing the horn and starting to sinew?
Glueing the horn properly to the core seems to be the most difficult task in making horn bows. Saturating the horn and core with water-like hide glue dried inbetween the layers, and then finally glueing the horn with thick glue that stays liquid while clamping, should be the trick. - as you know.
I think it is a good idea to start glueing the horns from the grip and out, since the sals are the most important section of the limbs. Also, it is probably a good idea to dab in extra glue inbetween the horn and core while clamping, to make sure there is no air bubbles trapped in the joint.
Thanks for comment Ivar!
Month & one week passed after I glued the horn to core before sinewing the bow.
I coated the horns first time & noticed that horns became greyish in coloration so I washed them with hot water & started coating again with very thin glue.
After all I think Uli & you are right, I remember I've moved the limbs a bit towards & backwards before sinewing & there were no problems in this splice.
Month & one week passed after I glued the horn to core before sinewing the bow.
I coated the horns first time & noticed that horns became greyish in coloration so I washed them with hot water & started coating again with very thin glue.
After all I think Uli & you are right, I remember I've moved the limbs a bit towards & backwards before sinewing & there were no problems in this splice.