I made selfbows as a kid and as a young man.Always looking for the perfect bow. I could not even tell you how many selfbows I have made.Now I am building Glass bow,still looking for the perfect bow.everyone loves my bows and how they shoot but for me,Im still looking. My friends call me inspector 13
I have made two that i like more than the others, but im never satisfied.
Most can't see the flaws I have in my bows but to me they stick out like a sore thumb. Not that the flaws I see are a big deal it's just small and cosmetic only. Always chasing the dragon but every bow gets better than the last. I think we as builders are doomed to focus on the flaws no matter how insignificant. Thats a good thing though as it keeps us striving to do better. I'd hate to just be satisfied with my methods and never learn something new. Might as well give it all up if that's the case. My wife says I have enough bows but I'm always looking to do something better or different and at least I'm not running around in bars. One day I will try some glass bows out too and that will be great to learn something else and have a blast doing it.
Talk about flaws, I just finished a Yew - self bow. The wood was big enough that I could have a "handle" for a grip, just like a glass recurve. I wraped the grip with string and it looks really good. So I took it to the guy that gave me the Yew wood ( told my wife ahead of time if he asked for it he could have it ). Well, he loved it and now he has it - but, the big thing is he didn't see the flaws in it ( yet! ). I know they are there, I also know its just a matter of time he will see them, maybe not? Funny, how we want the "perfect" bow and keep trying, and trying, and tr---------
The old adage "A carpenter's house is never finished" comes to mind with this one. I am crazy bad at trying to be perfect, there will always be flaws, even if only I see them...
My wife is into art, and she recently told me a little story about Monet that I think is appropriate here.
He is really famous for pioneering a very specific style of painting, but it was totally an accident. Once he had surgery to correct his cataracts and saw his art, he went ballistic. He destroyed nearly all of his paintings, because he didn't know they were so unrealistic. To his bad eyes, his paintings looked like real landscapes. Once they were clear to him, he was devastated.
His family apparently hid some of his paintings because they knew how good they were, and those are the ones we know today.
The point is that flaws are definitely in the eye of the beholder. lol
Scott
I own only one bow now gave the others away ,the one I have is the first bow that came out of the box.Funny the way we think
Don't think perfection exists for for me... I just keep looking at the last one built and hope it is better than the one before it.
I think you can be upset about the flaws, or you can accept the flaws as a part of the bow. I think that the little imperfections are what makes each bow unique. I think this applies more so to wooden bows.
If we all needed perfection, we wouldn't be shooting trad equipment. I don't just accept poor design or tiller, but the little flaws that don't harm the performance are what makes them different.
Bows are as individual as people. They all have there strengths and weaknesses. That is what makes them so special! Also why I love character bows.Those irregularities in the wood are a reminder that we each have them as well.
When our "maker" made us,I don't believe he said "oops screwed that one up" I think he allows the diferences to be our character. Often it is our weakness that makes us a stronger person.
I am sure that, there are staves that are close to perfect for the perfect bow. I even have a few like that but somehow I am drawn to the twisted nargly character staves. Maybe because I can identify with them more then the "near" perfect ones.
Yupper Keenan, and if it doesn't hold together, just put carp skins on her.
:deadhorse:
Roy, you you have finally arrived and understand. I'm so proud of you! Your wisdom is growing in leaps and bounds. LOL :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Yupper:)