I have been working on this Osage D bow for a while, and am down to the handle. I have a nice piece of black leather that I would like to use. I have made two arrow shelves on this bow. I have never worked with leather before, and now I am a little lost. Do you have to sew the seam, or can you glue it down with super glue. Any suggestions or ideas would be great, thanks.
(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/DSCN1814.jpg)
(http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r55/clintanders/DSCN1818.jpg)
Doesn't look like you have one ring on the back. In fact, looks like the back has some sapwood on it. I just use a couple of pieces of leather for shelves. There's info on my site.
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/
Jawge
Here's a couple of pictures of the seam on my handles. The top one I did with two needles like you ties your shoes, the second one is a stitch that helps close the seam up better. I use contact cement to hold the leather in place on the belly and sides, then trim the center with a xacto knife, just put another piece of leather under the center so you don't cut the back of the bow. Also with a D bow you can stack leather with contact cement to from a swell in your handle.
"D" bow
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/dlgren/Archery/Bows/osagebow005.jpg)
Ridgid handle
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v199/dlgren/Archery/Bows/jakesbow007.jpg)
Super glue would work, but it will take alot. The leather will soak it up like a sponge! Contact or barges cement will be better. You could just glue and wrap and skeive the leather for a nice fit or sew as Dano does.
And George, I don't know how you see that? maybe just the lighting or some early white growth that didn't get scraped off. Good looking and good shootin, Steve.
I think what your seeing Jawge is the gloss finish reflecting light. It looks to me like Clint followed the ring real well specially around that knot.
Dano, are you sure? Did you look at the first pic? Jawge
Yep, the back of the bow looks wavey, like Clint followed the ring with a goose neck scraper to get into the late wood. I think that's what we are seeing, maybe Clint will get on here and clear this up.
QuoteOriginally posted by George Tsoukalas:
Doesn't look like you have one ring on the back. In fact, looks like the back has some sapwood on it. I just use a couple of pieces of leather for shelves. There's info on my site.
http://georgeandjoni.home.comcast.net/~georgeandjoni/
Jawge
It is down to one growth ring. I think what you are seeing is a reflection off of the finish. The ring was wavy on the back. I spent a lot of time scraping this one. That long knot gave me a hard time, but added some character. If you look at the second picture, it is a closer shot where that long knot is. You can see in that picture that there is not any sapwood below it.