This one draws 45 pounds at 28” and is 70” long nock to nock. The wood is American hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) aka musclewood, ironwood, blue beech. The handle wrap is half-tanned deerhide and the bow is stained with mushrooms and flowers. The whole bow was first colored with dyer’s polypore, which I then scraped off the ridges on the back to accent the natural texture. These spots were then rubbed with blue cornflowers, creating the streaky effect.
The limbs are concave and use the ‘hollow limb design’ (HLD). Instead of only bending lengthwise, the limbs also flatten laterally as the bow is drawn. This gives a bit of extra kick, kind of like a straw that’s folded over popping back up.
This was one of the most challenging bows I’ve made. The same design failed on my previous try and for most of the build I thought this one wouldn’t work out either. I’ve made nice HLD bows in the past, but never with such characterful wood.
It took four or five tries to get the tips and handle aligned using heat. This is stubborn wood. After over a year of bickering we made peace. I now have a new favorite and plan to take this bow out for deer season.
This week I was a guest on the Primitive Archery Podcast with Tony Taul and Caleb Flies. We talked about my favorite bow woods, bow designs, hunting season, and the awesome bow making community.
Did you know you can stain wood with mushrooms? Dyer’s polypore is a well known textile dye source, but you can also use it on wood just like a marker. Just rip off some of the mushroom and rub it on your bow. The first couple layers will be light but you can build up the color a bit.
Shown on a hornbeam bow in progress. The second picture has 1 layer of shellac.
Did you know multiflora rose makes great kids bows? It might be the springiest wood I’ve used. You can practically bend it in a circle. The hardest part is finding a big enough piece
I originally wanted a 45 pound bow but wasn’t all that sure there was a bow in this piece. I was right to be suspicious
Early on I had to drop the target weight because one of the knots went deeper than expected into the limbs. So I left this area extra wide.
The upper limb also formed chrysals during early tillering—that was my fault. I think this was because I left the side walls too thick. I dropped a bit more draw weight as a precaution and thinned the sides.
Now that I’ve shot in the bow it’s been stable, without forming more compression fractures. But I have to admit I don’t entirely trust this one, and fear it will become a wall hanger. I did learn a lot about working snaky bows and hollow limbs and enjoyed the challenge. This will all be very useful for my next bow!
Dan Santana Bows
Dan Santana Bows
What a journey! Thanks for all the support and advice over the years.
My next video will be a bow making Q&A. If you have any questions you want addressed in a video leave them here!
4 months ago | [YT] | 231
View 21 replies
Dan Santana Bows
Hickory sapling recurve. Build along video coming soon!
4 months ago | [YT] | 198
View 9 replies
Dan Santana Bows
New tiller tree setup, and new season of videos coming soon!
5 months ago | [YT] | 89
View 10 replies
Dan Santana Bows
Hornbeam sapling bow
This one draws 45 pounds at 28” and is 70” long nock to nock. The wood is American hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) aka musclewood, ironwood, blue beech. The handle wrap is half-tanned deerhide and the bow is stained with mushrooms and flowers. The whole bow was first colored with dyer’s polypore, which I then scraped off the ridges on the back to accent the natural texture. These spots were then rubbed with blue cornflowers, creating the streaky effect.
The limbs are concave and use the ‘hollow limb design’ (HLD). Instead of only bending lengthwise, the limbs also flatten laterally as the bow is drawn. This gives a bit of extra kick, kind of like a straw that’s folded over popping back up.
This was one of the most challenging bows I’ve made. The same design failed on my previous try and for most of the build I thought this one wouldn’t work out either. I’ve made nice HLD bows in the past, but never with such characterful wood.
It took four or five tries to get the tips and handle aligned using heat. This is stubborn wood. After over a year of bickering we made peace. I now have a new favorite and plan to take this bow out for deer season.
1 year ago | [YT] | 381
View 9 replies
Dan Santana Bows
Swiftwood Bows | How to Build an Osage Recurve Bow
Check out Weylin’s fantastic new tutorial, and all his other great videos.
Go make a bow!
https://youtu.be/iJJhQ7jMN8o?si=WgH6N...
1 year ago | [YT] | 42
View 1 reply
Dan Santana Bows
Deer leather bow handle for my hornbeam hunting bow
1 year ago | [YT] | 237
View 7 replies
Dan Santana Bows
This week I was a guest on the Primitive Archery Podcast with Tony Taul and Caleb Flies. We talked about my favorite bow woods, bow designs, hunting season, and the awesome bow making community.
open.spotify.com/episode/15UPEY3VeAhHqOdyYtReYr?si…
1 year ago | [YT] | 40
View 0 replies
Dan Santana Bows
Did you know you can stain wood with mushrooms?
Dyer’s polypore is a well known textile dye source, but you can also use it on wood just like a marker. Just rip off some of the mushroom and rub it on your bow. The first couple layers will be light but you can build up the color a bit.
Shown on a hornbeam bow in progress. The second picture has 1 layer of shellac.
Tutorial coming soon!
1 year ago | [YT] | 155
View 7 replies
Dan Santana Bows
Did you know multiflora rose makes great kids bows? It might be the springiest wood I’ve used. You can practically bend it in a circle. The hardest part is finding a big enough piece
1 year ago | [YT] | 203
View 8 replies
Dan Santana Bows
Snaky maple bow. HLD, 35# at 28”
I originally wanted a 45 pound bow but wasn’t all that sure there was a bow in this piece. I was right to be suspicious
Early on I had to drop the target weight because one of the knots went deeper than expected into the limbs. So I left this area extra wide.
The upper limb also formed chrysals during early tillering—that was my fault. I think this was because I left the side walls too thick. I dropped a bit more draw weight as a precaution and thinned the sides.
Now that I’ve shot in the bow it’s been stable, without forming more compression fractures. But I have to admit I don’t entirely trust this one, and fear it will become a wall hanger. I did learn a lot about working snaky bows and hollow limbs and enjoyed the challenge. This will all be very useful for my next bow!
1 year ago | [YT] | 122
View 3 replies
Load more