Completed R/D Sinew Backed Osage Recurve With Painted Back (pics)

[SamuraiWarrior2]

I hope you all enjoy this. I have been working on it for about 3 years. Sadly, I don't have as much time as I would like to work on projects like this.

Stats:
Tip to tip length-just under 60"
Widest point-1-7/16"
Mass-18.9oz
Draw weight-~55#
Draw length-29" from belly of handle
Holds 3" of reflex after resting,
2" immediately after unstringing
Finished with Polyurethane and paste wax

   Two Osage billets, with boiled in recurves, were glued together into about 4" of deflex. A piece of white oak was shaped to fit in the handle, and another layer of osage was glued on top of that. The belly was heat treated to a deep golden-brown color and the bow was reflexed. More reflex was pulled in with the addition of sinew on the back. In total it was probably just over 4" of reflex after drying.
   Pads were glued to the base of the recurve to help with string tracking. They are probably not totally necessary, but I also enjoy the look of them. They are 3 layers of latigo leather, saturated in super glue and pressed together. This hardened the leather and made it easy to shape with carving knives, files and sandpaper.
   Nearly the entire bow was covered with black fabric glued with hide glue after being tillered. On top of this, motifs were painted on with 10-60 micron bronze powder in a hide glue (unflavored gelatin) suspension. I used a 3/0 watercolor brush with natural bristles to do this.
   The handle is wrapped with a piece of vegetable tanned cowhide, distressed with India ink and imprinted on the edges. It is laced with black goat-skin leather using a baseball stitch.
Unstrung:

Strung:

Handle:

Recurve Back:

Recurve Belly

Recurve Side:

Back:

Full Draw:

[Groundpounder]

I dont know what anyone else thinks of this bow but i think it looks "Kick @ss " That bow looks like none ive ever seen on here before A+ for unique, i like it alot!

[GRINCH]

Nice bow,how does it shoot.

[4runr]

That's an amazing looking bow.

Well done!

[northern fisher]

Thats just wild.Very nice

[fatman]

Very nice work, Thomas!  

[Bjorn]

Cool!!      

[Rick D]

After 3 years thats one very fine looking bow. I especially love the motif on the bows back. Really quite beautiful! If you have any close-up pics of it, i think everyone would LOVE to see them. Well done!!!

[Ted Fry]

Something to be proud of , a real work of art. Great job!

[2treks]

uummm, SWEEEETT!!! I think it would take me three years just to paint the back. Well done man, well done.
Chuck

[SamuraiWarrior2]

Rick D, here is a closeup along the limb:
 
Hope that helps you get an idea.
Thanks Groundpounder, GRINCH, Kenny, Northern Fisher, fatman, Bjorn, Ted and Chuck!
I appreciate all of your kind words. I'm glad this bow is well liked    I think I only spent about 3 hours on each limb. I think I'll use a pen for my next bow, instead of a brush, so that will make it take longer, but will give a finer and more consistent pattern.
I really wish I could make a decent living making these bows. Or at least make a few on the side to sell. I just love the whole process of making them so much!
The motifs on the back are based off of Turkish hornbows. My next bow will be a Korean horn bow. After a few failures, and everything I learned with this bow, I'm confident I will get a great shooter. Ultimately, I'd like to get into flight shooting and give these bows a shot.

[fireball31]

that is absoulutely georgeous, wow

[Mark Baker]

A gorgeous bow....unique and beautiful artwork, and a fine job on the bow also.