Sometimes I think that I keep GIBow http://www.gibow.com/store/ in business. But really, can you have too many swords and bows and kayaks and books?
MREgi
This pic (to be uploaded later when the website is fixed) is the horsebow kit I purchased from GI Bow a few months ago. It is 50#@28†with a fiberglass limb and fine for a starter kit as I am a terrible bowyer. I can make the gear, but my bow-making skills need work.
I kept the kit for some time while I watched the assembly videos repeatedly, reread the instructions using a highlighter to mark the important passages and worked on my Celtic Sword (see that post here http://ranger.budgetauthenticity.org/fo ... 28&t=2920). I’ve had bows shatter on draw and would not enjoy having fiberglass shards driven through my face because I did something wrong in assembly.
Now Justin uses epoxy made for Pennsylvania which dries out in Arizona so I went to Ace Hardware with the kit and explained what I was doing and got some epoxy made for wood-fiberglass that would survive Arizona’s heat and lack of humidity.
Finally I started, put the video on the computer, watched a section, paused, worked on the bow, unpaused the vid and continued.
This is the bow assembled with the rough shaping and sanding and epoxy. Yes, JB is gray but who cares. Then I hung the thing under a heating vent to dry for a couple days. I deliberately chose slow drying epoxy.
After the epoxy was dried, the sinew put on, the final shaping accomplished, etc, I did a final sanding, added Tung Oil to the wood and began the process of covering the bow with leather.
I am not certain that I am happy with my choice of leather. I like the ‘poor mans’ image (over the image of a guy who spent $2k at the Ren-Faire for beautiful Garb he is afraid to wear in the field) but I love the artistry of other horsebows on the other sites. Well, I can always replace the leather in time.
I had made a thumb-ring a year or two ago just to see if I could. I’m glad I did now. Will replace that with a better bone or horn thumb-ring eventually. I made the arrows and quiver myself and covered it with brown canvas. I do have a leather quiver in progress. You will notice that the arrows are color-coded. Black thread is war-point, white thread is blunt for varmint (rabbits, etc) hunting, and white thread with striped cock feather is for broadheads.
This is my string (note, buy or make another) with my first-try thumb ring in a can to keep them dry.
Next is a cow-horn I am converting to a vambrace. An artist friend from Russia gave me the horn to tip my Longbow and there was enough left to make the vambrace. I have the holes marked and drilled, just need to make the straps.
It’s been raining here so haven’t had a chance to get to the range but….
