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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Keenan on December 07, 2011, 09:57:00 PM

Title: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Keenan on December 07, 2011, 09:57:00 PM
Here is my latest. She is a 58" sinew/Carp skin backed Juniper bow. She is right at 60 lbs. @ my 25" draw and has goat horn tips. This was the top side of a large Juniper limb with two light coarses of sinew and then the Carp skins. Though I have done many different types of fish skins. This was the first with Carp. I am very impressed with it and love the pattern. The skin was fairly thick so I sanded it down on the belt sander to the feel of snake skin. I wanted the sinew for the benefits, and the skins for decoration without adding to much mass.  With this one I am very pleased. ;D
 (http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/bornagainprimitve/DSC_0135.jpg)
 (http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/bornagainprimitve/DSC_0137.jpg)
 (http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/bornagainprimitve/DSC_0251.jpg)
 (http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/bornagainprimitve/DSC_0112.jpg)
 (http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/bornagainprimitve/DSC_0113.jpg)
 (http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/bornagainprimitve/DSC_0152.jpg)
 (http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c326/bornagainprimitve/DSC_0107.jpg)
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: DVSHUNTER on December 07, 2011, 10:05:00 PM
Beautiful bow keenan! I was expecting snake skins.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: karrow on December 07, 2011, 10:06:00 PM
great looking bow i love thoe carp skins
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: snakewood3 on December 07, 2011, 10:10:00 PM
WOW ! That is some great craftsmanship there. Kinda' say's sieze the carp....
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: red hill on December 07, 2011, 10:11:00 PM
Gorgious bow, Keenan! Looks kinda familiar.  Bet it shoots as well as it looks, too.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: KellyG on December 07, 2011, 10:25:00 PM
That is a really nice bow. Is it common carp, grass carp or some other?
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Keenan on December 07, 2011, 10:51:00 PM
David, Thank you, This one was to straight for that awesome skin. But have one in the works for that.  :bigsmyl:  
Kevin Thank you
Snakewood, Thank you I like the saying  :bigsmyl:  
Kelly, Thank you,I'm not sure the type of Carp. I traded for them From TurtleCreek on PA
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: okie64 on December 08, 2011, 07:44:00 AM
That is a great looking bow Keenan! Carp skins look very nice and tiller looks perfect. I noticed you have very little heartwood showing on the belly. Do you notice any difference in the heartwood and sapwood as far workability and compression strength?
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Keenan on December 08, 2011, 08:54:00 AM
Okie, Thank you, I like to use the top of a branch on Juniper bows. The heart wood lays closer to the top and the rings are much tighter that way as well. In addition it has grown under constant tension and is just stronger wood. I reduced the sap wood a little to allow for more heart wood for beauty and as well as compresion strength. Yes the heart is better for compressionand the sapwood better for tension. When using a branch the bottom limb of the bow should be the part that was closest to the tree. It will tend to give the bottom limb of the bow a naturaly "built in" positive tiller
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Trux Turning on December 08, 2011, 09:08:00 AM
That is one sweet bow!! Wish I had your skills.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Living_waters on December 08, 2011, 10:54:00 AM
Love it!!!!!

When you say you thinned the sap wood, how close attention did you pay to the grain orientation?
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Roy from Pa on December 08, 2011, 11:27:00 AM
I don't know. I guess it's kinda an ok bow. LOL:)
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Keenan on December 08, 2011, 12:09:00 PM
Trux, Thank you
Living Waters, Thank you. On Juniper it is hard to even see the rings of sapwood  But if you take of several layers on the crown like (decrowning) then work the edges out it is fairly easy to get a consistant ring. However when adding sinew not as nessessary.I did get this one as close as possible
OL Roy,,,,,,,, well that's it,,,, now I'm going to have to level with ya. It's not really a bow,,,,,,,,,It's a whompin stick made just for you.   :laughing:    :deadhorse:
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Kenkel on December 08, 2011, 12:44:00 PM
That is awesome!  Great lookin bow!
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Living_waters on December 08, 2011, 12:56:00 PM
Keenan that's what I was asking. I havent made a sinew backed Juniper yet and was wondering how much violation it would take with the sinew. This gun season provide enough sinew finally so now I am on the look out for a good stave log.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Living_waters on December 08, 2011, 12:59:00 PM
Keenan that's what I was asking. I havent made a sinew backed Juniper yet and was wondering how much violation it would take with the sinew. This gun season provide enough sinew finally so now I am on the look out for a good stave log.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Keenan on December 08, 2011, 01:58:00 PM
Living, I have some curing right now and will be cutting some more very soon.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: soopernate on December 08, 2011, 02:09:00 PM
I may have to try carp skins someday...damn things are so gross though (SISSY ALERT!!) When I catch em I usually just cut the hook off after landing them (you HAVE to land them to count them but you dont have to touch them..again SISSY ALERT!!!)

BEAUTIFUL bow Keenan.  Man I wish I had the talent that some of you guys do.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Roy from Pa on December 08, 2011, 03:52:00 PM
Quote
OL Roy,,,,,,,, well that's it,,,, now I'm going to have to level with ya. It's not really a bow,,,,,,,,,It's a whompin stick made just for you.  
Wow I feel better now Keenan, it looked like a walking stick to me:)

  :biglaugh:
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Keenan on December 08, 2011, 03:57:00 PM
Wow, I walked right into that one,,,,,,,you ol buzzard!  :archer2:  

Thanks again everyone
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Osagetree on December 08, 2011, 04:05:00 PM
Looks like grass carp.

Nice one!!

Seems the angle to your tip overlays gets more extreme each time I see a bow of yours.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: red hill on December 08, 2011, 05:36:00 PM
You know, Joe, I could use a little tutorial on how to do them there tip overlays.  Maybe Keenan could enlighten us?
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: coaster500 on December 08, 2011, 06:09:00 PM
Great bow !!!  

Those skins look wild....   you missed my weight though   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Stiks-n-Strings on December 08, 2011, 06:55:00 PM
Wouldn't expect anything less Keenan.

 Fantastic! Love the skins, I gotta get my hands on some of those.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: rainman on December 08, 2011, 09:44:00 PM
Look like Grass carp i have done two bows with them.  Also Grass Carp is thicker than German Carp Skins.  Beautiful bow
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Trumpkin the Dwarf on December 08, 2011, 09:45:00 PM
Wow! I like self bows but usually do not think of them as beautiful; that bow however deserves some serious applause! I think that is one of the prettiest bows I have seen on this forum.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: KellyG on December 09, 2011, 12:05:00 AM
could we talk you into a build along using the limb. From choosing them limb on? Pretty please, and don't worry about that ol man in PA once he gets done with all his traveling and whooping he will be ready for a long nap by the time he gets out your way.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: rimes on December 09, 2011, 08:03:00 AM
I like the way those skins look. Great job
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Keenan on December 09, 2011, 10:22:00 AM
Thank you everyone for such nice compliments.
Kelly I will try to get a buildalong done on the next one. I have several others asking for handle wrap, sinew and fish skin buildalongs as well, so maybe it would be a good plan to nock out four catergories in one shot.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Buemaker on December 09, 2011, 06:37:00 PM
A goodlooking piece you got there,very nice.Bue--
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Dan Landis on December 09, 2011, 07:30:00 PM
Keenan, everytime I see one of your bows I think it's the best piece of craftmanship Ive ever seen, then you build another and make it even better.  Awesome job, as usual!!!!!!Dan
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Keenan on December 09, 2011, 08:36:00 PM
Thank you Bue.
Thank you Dan.I feel about the same with some of your work. That means allot to me. Thanks

Kelly, Never have worried much about ol Roy, Like I said earlier,,,, He's all bark and no bite
  :laughing:
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Roy from Pa on December 10, 2011, 07:18:00 AM
Geeze I get no respect:) LOL
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: tj69 on December 10, 2011, 07:26:00 AM
Keenan,
very nice bow indeed!
I´m impressed.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Walt Francis on December 10, 2011, 10:24:00 AM
:notworthy:    :notworthy:    :notworthy:
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Keenan on December 10, 2011, 07:43:00 PM
tj69,  Thank you
 

Walt, Thank you.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Tom Leemans on December 12, 2011, 03:15:00 PM
Thanks, now I got drool on my desk.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Keenan on December 12, 2011, 11:18:00 PM
Thank you Tom, I'm just here to help in any way I can  :bigsmyl:
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: snag on December 12, 2011, 11:32:00 PM
I've always thought of carp as just a bottom feeding worthless fish. I am having to rethink this! Very nice. What did you use for the finish?
Thanks, David
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: twitchstick on December 13, 2011, 09:17:00 AM
Great looking bow! I just started roughing out a short juniper bow this last week. I hope mind could turn out as nice as yours.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: kpete on December 13, 2011, 07:25:00 PM
Keenan,
glad  you stepped out of teepee to shoot.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: kpete on December 14, 2011, 10:37:00 PM
keenan,
When you say "goat horn"  what kind of goat do you mean?
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Keenan on December 15, 2011, 12:29:00 AM
David, Thank you, I used spray on poly
Twitch, Thank you, Keep us posted on your progress.
Kpete, Thank youI'm not sure I bought them from a guy on Craigslist. I think he said they were corisica rams
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: getstonedprimitivebowhunt on December 15, 2011, 03:45:00 PM
I really like how you raised the handle wrap up over to cover shelf..sweet. I'll have to try that...NICE!  Jeff  p.s. I got some salmon skins too try !
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Keenan on December 21, 2011, 09:16:00 AM
Thank you Jeff. One day I decided to try something different and always hated doing the strike plate add on. Almost all my wraps are this way now.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: NormanDale33 on December 21, 2011, 07:26:00 PM
Wow, one of the most intersting and beautiful bows I have seen. You are talented my friend. It is cool to see works of art like this. Can't wait to build my first bow this spring.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Keenan on January 02, 2012, 09:23:00 PM
Steven, Thank you, Come down to Oregon this May when we have or Bowyers Gathering and we can work on one together.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: caleb0100 on January 03, 2012, 07:35:00 AM
beautiful bow, and I love the way those skins look!
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: twitchstick on January 05, 2012, 02:26:00 PM
Very nice bow!
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: NormanDale33 on January 05, 2012, 03:45:00 PM
Thanks Keenan, I may have to take oyu up on the offer.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: SEMO_HUNTER on January 10, 2012, 07:52:00 PM
Wow Keenan! Bring this post back up to the top for another round. Who knew that carp could look so dang gorgeous on a bow? Gonna have to get me some carp skins, I can see that already.

Did you do anything special to them as far as preperation while fresh? Or just simply dry them like you would a snake skin?
Please let me in on it.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: steadman on January 10, 2012, 08:29:00 PM
WOW!! You do amazing work!!  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: rainman on January 10, 2012, 09:09:00 PM
Treat the carp skins just like snake skins.  Grass carp is much better than German carp.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Keenan on January 11, 2012, 05:23:00 PM
Thank you Semo.
Thnak you Steadman
Thank you Rainman Yes you are right.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: beendare on January 11, 2012, 10:52:00 PM
Man I shot piles of those carp last summer and never heard of any use for the skins-thats beautiful

Can you explain or point me to something that explains how to treat the skins for this- thanks in advance
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: Keenan on January 12, 2012, 09:38:00 AM
Thank you Beendare, Just flesh the skins and stapple them down to some plywood.  Then you can cut inside the staples with a razor when dried and roll them up like rawhide untill ready to use.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: snag on January 12, 2012, 10:17:00 AM
I never thought I'd be saying this...I'm going carp fishing this Spring!    :biglaugh:
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: rainman on January 12, 2012, 07:31:00 PM
Go to Stick & Strings traditional archery, there is a tutorial on there by John Scifres.
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: SEMO_HUNTER on January 14, 2012, 04:28:00 AM
I'm going to assume that you DO scale them first, correct? My brother lives next to a guy that has a small pond behind his house and there's some HUGE grass carp in there. I can see a grass carp snagging trip in my near future, maybe this spring?

BTT............up!
Title: Re: Carp/Sinew Backed Juniper Bow
Post by: rainman on January 16, 2012, 07:44:00 AM
Yeah scale them, skin them, flesh, then degrease with Dawn, usually 3 times.  Then tack down to dry them for later use or put on wet.  They are much thicker wet than they will be when dry, like Sinew is.