ATARNarchive

Magyar 45#

13 posts2015live thread
robinhoodfromhun
Hi All! This is my new Hungarian/Magyar bow.
I used cattle tendon, hungarian grey cattle horn, hide glue,ash wood (willow for the ears) and deer antlers for plates of the ears.
Sinew is colored and varnished with shell lacquer (no cover).
I hope you like it! :)

Sándor Nagy
robinhoodfromhun
one more pic.
PAZUZU
congratulations! very beautiful bow!
Hitokkohitori
Really cool bow. I like the way you covered the sinew.
robinhoodfromhun
Thank you Pazuzu and Hitokkohitori!
PAZUZU
one question: what kind of willow used for the ears?
mikekeswick
Excellent bow. Willow eh?! Now who would have thought that!
robinhoodfromhun
I'm not really sure, but I think it's Salix alba. I choosed It because of weight (0,48 g/cm3) (ash: 0,69g/cm3,maple:0,64g/cm3). Total mass of the bow right now 458g (with bone plates).
I bended it after1 week of soaking and 2 hours of cooking. If you chose a wrong willow you will realize it when you try to bend it so you won't waste your ready bow. :wink:
lurz
Nice bow!
About the shell lacquer, just dissolved in alcohol? Any other additives? Any cracks from bending?
robinhoodfromhun
Thanks Lurz!
I didn't use any additive. It's a new bow. There is no cracks yet. Maybe It will be. I have an other bow with shell lacquer, that has cracks. I haven't heard about any useful additives. If you know let me know. Do you think honey or glycerin would work? Those work in glue.
lurz
Sorry, no idea there.
I have used a (commercial) varnish of linseed oil and tung oil. That do not seem to crack.
Some years ago I painted directly on the sinew backing on a American Indian bow with egg/oil tempera . It has hairline cracks, but do not flake off.
mikekeswick
Yes i've used it for arrows. I made a few and thought well these probably won't last too long....I was wrong! It's very durable wood. It is also used for cricket bats.
robinhoodfromhun
Yes. It's soft but tough and It's between antler plates. Kind of composite ears. It's as heavy with (very thin)antler plates as safe ash ears without plates.
You could ask that, what is the reason to use bone plates? For us beauty and authenticity, for our ancestors I think something sacral reason. Deer was a symbol for them.