Hey Joe, I'm finally catchin up on this awesome thread. Man, you've made some serious progress. That bow with the flipped tips looks awesome. Great job on this awesome build-a-long. I'm so pumped for you I'll drive all the way from Hartville to help drag meat!!!

Kenny, I may have to take you up on that offer!

Hey listen,,, if you ever want to hunt down here let me know. We could make a weekend of it or something. South eastern Ohio has some big bucks!

Okay, today got the skins and overlays on the bow.

I had half a blacksnake skin left from the locust bow that I was so sure of, but it hinged on me during tillering, and a water snake skin that was caught in a minnow trap this spring.

I hated to waist it so I skinned it out and kept it. I probably won't keep another if I catch it. This was the most stinky snake ever skinned and dried!

I am going to name this bow "TWO SNAKES" for obvious reasons.

Here are the skins, the colors realy ain't that  much different
       

And the whole thing
   

Using linseed oil I seal the belly wood of the bow protecting it from the elements and moistier
 

If you recall the wood borer bugs I had encountered in this stave, this is the only hole left after shaping the stave. The hole does go through to the back, but it was filled with super glue and covered with titebond and the snake skin, so I think it will hold for its lifetime.
 

Looking good!  Can't wait to see how this all turns out.

Joe,
   i have 1/2 of a prime muskrat pelt that i use for silencers, the fur is really nice. its yours if ya want it? i also know of a friend that has a small beaver pelt that i think i can trade him something for. let me know which you would like and i'll get it in the mail monday.

Ken, thanks but I have another plan for silencers at the moment. I'm just trying to keep this as close to homegrown as I can get. How about that stave? I will keep my promise if'n you can get one here.


Going to get a handle on this bow. So, I measure the length I need and cut the leather to size


Then I measure for the width, leaving it a little more than a 1/8" from touching ends


Once cut to the size I needm I soak it in hot water for a few hours. This will help it stretch and then it will shrink some to more tightly fit the handle when drying out



Doubleing the handle material over and holding it with clamps and a strip of wood to use a finish nail to punch holes for sewing on the leather

A little dacron B-50 and a couple needles I will use to sew the handle on the bow


Straight line the first run and then useing a simple cross stitch I sew on the leather





on the last stitch I straight line it and run the thread out the bottom of the handle to tie a knot that will be hidden under the handle


The finished floppy rest and handle

i will be looking for the stave in the next couple days, will send it to ya as soon as i find one. if you change your mind and need fur let me know and i'll send it. i also know where there is a white ermine skin, that would look sharp on a string when the snow flies!

Joe, huntin down there with you is most likely doable. Maybe we can trade-a-hunt?

By the way, you put the rest on the wrong side.      

man i wish i could do this i might try it next year

Eric, you can do it!

4runr, I'll holler back at ya in a week or so and set up a weekend or evening hunt.

adkmaountainken, I'll be watching the mail.

I got out and made me an arm guard today.

From the leather I got at the flea market I cut out a pattern using my old arm guard I made a few years back
 

I took a thicker peice of tan leather and sewed it to the back of the black leather and then cut out the center
 
 

Cut some antler buttons with the coping saw and drilled in a couple holes to sew them on the guard
 
 

Sew 4 of the antler buttons on along the high parts of the edge of the guard


Tie in some shock cord I raped from one of my old backpacks


And now I have a new, original homegrown leather arm guard

nice job on the handle!

savage    


Keep this coming, I'm really enjoying this thread  

Lookin good OTree. The snake skins and the black leather go well together.

Too bad you don't have some snake skin scraps left to do the center part of the arm guard.

One of the best threads ever.

man i wish i could do this hey maybe ill try it next year

After messing around with some paper I will use as a pattern I finally got it the size and shape I need. So. I cut out enough for the three fingers.


Then I cut out a pattern to make the strap that will hold the glove & fingers to my wrist


Most of the glove is cut out and ready to sew up



Using a finish nail I punch the holes to mount the fingers to the glove


Using my Dacron B-50 and a needle, I sew on the fingers

ok, I've been looking forward to seeing how you do the shooting glove. I tried to make one once and it failed miserably.I used a totally different method though. Keep it coming!!!