An old bow lives again

[Ron LaClair]

n 1981 Don Adams from Oregon made me an Osage bow. Don also made beautiful English Longbows from the Yew wood that he cut in his home state and I had one of those also. The Osage bow he made for me pulled 83#@ 28", it shot like a rocket and I killed a nice buck with it the first fall that I hunted with it. Shortly afterward the bow broke. Don had backed it with clear calfskin and it didn't hold. Don replaced the bow with another osage bow backed with black fiberglass that pulled 90#@ 28". I took the old broken bow and wrapped the broken limb and hung it under the buck I had killed with it and it has hung there for nearly 30 years.

A customer ordered one of my bowie knives and wanted an osage handle. Not having any other osage, I took down the old bow from the wall and we got enough wood from it to make the handle of the knife. Then we fitted the broken end with a piece of crown stage and made a walking stick out of it.

The old bow lives again.

 

[2fletch]

I like that Ron. I don't throw much away (my wife can attest) but it just seems that a noble bow, even a broken one, should not be discarded. Sound like you found worthy uses for the osage from that bow. Great looking knife as well.

[ron w]

I make hand carved walking sticks and that is just plain cool. Well done!  

[Frenchymanny]

Wow! Your customer must be extremly happy Ron!!!  
Talk about mojo! This is a serious bowie, what I looked for for a long time!

The history behind the blade makes it very precious to me!

Thank you Sir

F-Manny

[Mudd]

Osage is one of those woods that will work for many varied uses and does it well.

Thanks for sharing Ron!

God bless,Mudd

[drewsbow]

Very nice Ron        
Is that one yours Manny ?

[Frenchymanny]

Yes Drew my friend, I am so happy with the whole project, and the stories that knife carries!

The shoulder harness looks great too!
Thank you Ron
F-Manny

[adkmountainken]

AWESOME knife bro!!!!!!!! big mediciene for sure!!!!

[Frenchymanny]

Originally posted by adkmountainken:
AWESOME knife bro!!!!!!!! big mediciene for sure!!!!

This bowie will go to Alaska with me, for sure!  

[leftyfred]

The frugiles of the world like to call that "repurposing"

[adkmountainken]

i'll be picking my big bowie up at Denton from art Vincent who is making a shoulder sheath for it. it hurts me to say this but yours is bigger then mine, yes i have blade envy!  

[Shawn Leonard]

Very Nice!! Shawn

[Ben Maher]

I love osage in knife handles and that there will carry good mojo !

Nice Ron !

[Frenchymanny]

Originally posted by adkmountainken:
i'll be picking my big bowie up at Denton from art Vincent who is making a shoulder sheath for it. it hurts me to say this but yours is bigger then mine, yes i have blade envy!    

Ken my brother I don't believe that one bit
   
I really look forward to the shoulder harness too!

F-Manny

[JParanee]

Great story and great knife

Ron BTW Bill Bagwell says hello

I told him u post on here and he said to say HI

[Margly]

That is a nice knife and I really like the handle and the history:)

[amar911]

So now we know where Ron gets all his knife handle slabs!    :eek:  Please send all broken bows to:

Ron LaClair's Traditional Archery Shoppe
P.O.Box 145 -- 140 E. Benton St.
Potterville, MI 48876

 

Allan

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Keeper!

[Frenchymanny]

Ttt for a great story!

F-Manny

[JamesKerr]

Beautiful work. It's amazing how even a broken bow can be reworked into something else.