Snaky Osage, ball python backed 43# at 28”

[Mo_coon-catcher]

Snaky Osage. Pulls 43# at 28”, and throws a 500gr arrow 155fps at my shorter 27” draw.

Backed with enchi ball python skin, overlays are Brazil wood and black cherry, handle wrap is shark skin laced with goat  that was cut 3/16” wide and thinned to a little under 2 oz weight and dyed with feibings mahagony. It took about 1/2” set.

It took a bit of heating to get everything to line up right but nothing too serious and is held together with lots of super glue. The first dozen times I would go to tiller I would notice some open crack and stop to fill with CA glue. The stave gave everything it had to hit this weight. There are places in the profile that are noticeably narrower or angled funny since that is all the wood that was left after cleaning up the splinters from being split. The handle cleaned up to about the size of my pinky. So I beefed up the width with a piece of cherry and had to corkscrew the joint, if I ground it square I would’ve had 1/4” or less wood holding the pieces together. Then I added a belly block to the handle, twice as I didn’t like the fades of the first go.

Overall I’m quite happy with how the bow turned out

Kyle

[Mo_coon-catcher]

A few more

[Mo_coon-catcher]

Missed a couple

[Pat B]

Very nice, Kyle. Those sneaky bows can be quite difficult to tiller. 

[Mo_coon-catcher]

Thanks Pat! Once I finally got all the cracks, splits, and alignment under control the tiller just kind of fell into place. But it sure was an interesting piece to work.

Kyle

[Bryan Adolphe]

 Very cool Kyle well done.

[dbeaver]

this one is so cool i cant even look at it!   I love that you made this stave work dude, i remember what it was in the beginning

[Mo_coon-catcher]

Thanks guys!

Ya, this one wasn’t much more than a splintery sliver of a wiggly stick before I got started. But it had too much character to not give a solid attempt.

Kyle