not fond of the straight style grip. also can you cut a shelf? how far?

You can make any grip you like on a selfbow. It is easy to glue on wood on the belly of your handle if you want more wood to shape.

Lots of people cut in a shelf on a selfbow but it is best not to cut it too deeply or your bow might break in the shelf. I found this out the hard way on the first osage bow I made.

I glue on a shelf now and narrow the arrow pass slightly.

Like Eric, I prefer to add a shelf to the handle area when one is called for. Less chance for a weak spot to occur.

You just need to lay it out and take your time.

Here is a recurve that Allan made me out of an osage stave.  

I make sticks, he makes bows.



The handle is patterned like the old recurves that I like so much.

Frank, nice bow. What are its specs?

I put simi recurve handles all the time.Not as deep as recurve handles.You can put any kind of handles you like.
 I also cut shelfs in all of my selfbows.And I get as close to center shot as the stave will let me.Most of my bows are or very close to center shot.

great looking bow frank! i'd love to make one like that

If you make a self bow that does not bend through the handle does it matter what type of handle yoy make. Does the forces of the draw and release matter to the handle if it is not bending. Just thinking.

Tony, If enough thought goes into the handle like the one Frank posted, it doesn't matter what style of handle goes into a stiff handled bow. With a rigid handle everything is static so more stable for different handle styles.

Thanks Pat. Thats what I thought was the case. just have to make sure nothing is moving in the handle. Any movement/stress is going to cause potential problems, I guess.
Clint; make sure you keep us informed and post lots of pictures.

yeah it may be a few months before i get around to having a go at whitting a selfbow. no material or tools here where i am. any bowyers around cranbrook BC???