What do you think? I've seen the really short horn belly/sinew backed bows and the long bows that do not bend in the handle in the same combo. What about a cross?

Sinew and horn perform better in short bows. In long bows they both just add extra physical weight with little performance benefits.

Hmmm, I figured you would say that.

Dern, I gotta spoil all your fun don't I Bona?

Define "long".

A bow with a long rigid section in the handle but with fairly short working sections can work well with sinew.  They look whip tillered and you really have to watch string angle but they can be very efficient and sweet shooters.

I personally prefer a short, working handle bow, sinew or not.  59-60" is my favorite length for my 27" draw.

John, most of my bows these days either bend through the handle or right up to the handle and are around 60"(for my 26" draw). Anything over 64" to 66" is long to me.

Yes, I was thinking in the 64" range. This stave is the upper part of a belly split stave. If that makes any sense. There are some tear outs near the handle area and I'm afraid it may not make a hunting weight bow. I have a good supply of horn and I was just thinking ahead. If it works out it will be for a 27" draw. I could shorten it, laminate with wood again, make a lower weight bow, shorter draw bow... I'll see what the stave wants to do first.

I would make it narrow and only add the sinew and horn to the working portions of the bow. Do bring the sinew across the handle though.
 I haven't worked with horn yet. I do have plans to make a Plains style sinew/wood/horn bow and aa Asiatic horm bow in the future. I have everything I need but the confidence to make them.

QuoteOriginally posted by Pat B:
I do have plans to make a Plains style sinew/wood/horn bow and aa Asiatic horm bow in the future. I have everything I need but the confidence to make them.

Gosh Pat, if a craftsman like you can make statements like that then goodness knows I have no business even making any bow    

Pat if I can make a horn bow,then you my friend are definately capable.A word of warning you will forget your other bows once you start using a composite.

Hey Pat, I've seen where you suggest to tiller a bend in the handle or near the handle bows so that they bend there just as you get to full draw. Do you do that by tillering the outer limbs to bend first and save the handle/near handle for last?

Bona I do keep the center a bit stiff until the tillering is almost done then I work on the inner limbs and fades to get then to give at full draw. I think if you try to get that area to bend first the leverage of the limbs will over work the center of the bow.
 Lee, I'm a selfbow guy. Put something in front of me that I have to think about and I go blank. It takes me a long time to work up to something new.
 I want to do a test run on a short NA horn/wood/sinew bow first to get my feet wet.