# Hickory Self Bow (updated with 'yote pic)



## Barehunter (Feb 12, 2009)

Here a couple of shots of a hickory self bow I made several years ago. Decided to challenge myself to cut down a tree, make a bow from it and kill a deer. Managed to get a coyote and a deer. It pulls about 78 pounds at 28"! Named it Hickory Smoke. No, I didn't take the bear with it but wish I had!


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## knap_123 (Feb 12, 2009)

nice bow! how many hrs. you put in it?


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## Barehunter (Feb 12, 2009)

knap_123 said:


> nice bow! how many hrs. you put in it?



This was my second bow and counting time for the wood to dry about 9600 hours    Seriously, I really don't have a clue.  Probably much longer than it should have taken.  I "cheated" and did some work with a bandsaw, but took a long time tillering.  Didn't want to end up with a 68"  25 pound kids bow!


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## choctawlb (Feb 12, 2009)

Nice bow, a lot of attention to detail went into that one. The tiller looks perfect. Has it taken any set after you made it? What did you use to wrap your handle?
Ken


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## dawg2 (Feb 12, 2009)

That is a GOOD LOOKING bow, I really like that!


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## Barehunter (Feb 12, 2009)

choctawlb said:


> Nice bow, a lot of attention to detail went into that one. The tiller looks perfect. Has it taken any set after you made it? What did you use to wrap your handle?
> Ken



Very little set since it was made.  Handle is not very traditional...some kinda twine, not sure exactly.  I really would like to redo the handle with something more primitive.
Any ideas?


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## knap_123 (Feb 12, 2009)

berch bark or deer wouald look good


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## Barehunter (Feb 12, 2009)

Here is a shot of the 'yote taken with Hickory Smoke.


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## 69camaro (Feb 12, 2009)

Barehunter said:


> Very little set since it was made.  Handle is not very traditional...some kinda twine, not sure exactly.  I really would like to redo the handle with something more primitive.
> Any ideas?



I really like the handle, I thought it complimented the wood. The bow is great looking. Congrats.


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## choctawlb (Feb 12, 2009)

> I really would like to redo the handle with something more primitive.
> Any ideas?


Braintan would look awesome on it, and it would be what they used for the last  few thousand years.
Again, that is a real nice bow,unbelievably  awesome is more like it if it was your first one. You do real detailed work. My first bow blew up after about 75 shots, and beat me about the head in the process.
Ken


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## Nugefan (Feb 13, 2009)

I like it ...

killer bow fo sho ....


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## dpoole (Feb 13, 2009)

very nice


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## Barehunter (Feb 13, 2009)

choctawlb said:


> Braintan would look awesome on it, and it would be what they used for the last  few thousand years.
> Again, that is a real nice bow,unbelievably  awesome is more like it if it was your first one. You do real detailed work. My first bow blew up after about 75 shots, and beat me about the head in the process.
> Ken




This was actually my second bow.  The first one I made while the wood was too green.  I knew it was too green but figured I'd go ahead and learn some of the mistakes I was going to make while I waited for the other stave to dry.  The first one tillered out fine and took a few squirrels but took a serious set.  It's name was "Old Hickory" and I eventually used it to smoke some meat...literally.


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## Willjo (Feb 13, 2009)

Man if my bow pulled 78 lb. at 26" i could kill a deer in the next county over. Mine is only 55 lb. at 26" and on cold days it is tuff to draw.


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## cfbutler31 (Feb 13, 2009)

what is tillered out mean and also what is set?????


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## Fireman26 (Feb 13, 2009)

*Terms*

If Im not mistaken, tillered out means the removal of wood from the belly of the bow from both the upper and lower limbs in uniform fashion to get the desired draw weight at the desired draw length.  Set means "memory", if you string the bow and shoot it for a while, then remove the string and lie it on a flat surface, belly up, the set will be the distance from the flat surface to the tip of the bow.  If Im wrong somone please correct me, for I am still learning too.


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