Trad Gang

Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Rick P on August 23, 2008, 06:19:00 AM

Title: Self bow from Alaskan tree?
Post by: Rick P on August 23, 2008, 06:19:00 AM

I'm thinking of attempting a self bow and want to use local materials. Problem is there ain't a whole lot of trees around too chose from! Alder maybe my best choice it's hard and dense but almost never strait and the trunk is about 4-6 inches max. I like the Look of "snake" or "Character bows" so the curves in alder won't present a aesthetic problem. Has anyone ever attempted a alder self bow?

Title: Re: Self bow from Alaskan tree?
Post by: Matt Stuckey on August 23, 2008, 06:56:00 AM

What did those native to the area use?  Those who lived or died by the land were very good students of raw materials and design.

Title: Re: Self bow from Alaskan tree?
Post by: DBerrard on August 23, 2008, 07:25:00 AM

They used Birch...how's that wood for making bows..anyone?
Bet it'd work with backing eh?

Title: Re: Self bow from Alaskan tree?
Post by: Rick P on August 23, 2008, 07:36:00 AM

Very little use of the bow by Alaskan natives. The one example I was able to find was a cable backed birch bow.

I also know that birch is sometimes used in Mongol horse bows but that is a horn backed laminate bow.(I have considered this route using whale baleen but need to biuld a few bows before I can think about a project like that.)