 Limb tip detail. December, 2001 |
The North American Inuit sometimes tied long strands of braided sinew to the backs of their bows. Once tied to the bow, the sinew would be twisted up until it was under considerable tension. This tension contributes to the cast of the bow.
Nylon has a similar elastic memory when used in this application. The following are photographs detailing a nylon backing I tied onto one of my self bows. I used cheap #18 nylon chalk string which is readily available at local hardware stores.
The bow is a 50# (@27) ironwood flatbow. The bow has a rawhide backing. In order to have something to tie the string to, the limb tips were worked such that they have "pegs", rather than nocks. This bow now shoots quite well with a surprizingly flat trajectory.
Limb tip detail. December, 2001 |
 Bottom Limb Detail. December, 2001. |
 Nock Attachment Detail. December, 2001. |
 Nock Attachment Detail when bow Strung. December, 2001. |
 Knot holding twist in cord. December, 2001. |
 Knot holding twist in cord. December, 2001. |