Here is my latest. She is a 58" sinew/Carp skin backed Juniper bow. She is right at 60 lbs. @ my 25" draw and has goat horn tips. This was the top side of a large Juniper limb with two light coarses of sinew and then the Carp skins. Though I have done many different types of fish skins. This was the first with Carp. I am very impressed with it and love the pattern. The skin was fairly thick so I sanded it down on the belt sander to the feel of snake skin. I wanted the sinew for the benefits, and the skins for decoration without adding to much mass.  With this one I am very pleased. ;D

Beautiful bow keenan! I was expecting snake skins.

great looking bow i love thoe carp skins

WOW ! That is some great craftsmanship there. Kinda' say's sieze the carp....

Gorgious bow, Keenan! Looks kinda familiar.  Bet it shoots as well as it looks, too.

That is a really nice bow. Is it common carp, grass carp or some other?

David, Thank you, This one was to straight for that awesome skin. But have one in the works for that.    
Kevin Thank you
Snakewood, Thank you I like the saying    
Kelly, Thank you,I'm not sure the type of Carp. I traded for them From TurtleCreek on PA

That is a great looking bow Keenan! Carp skins look very nice and tiller looks perfect. I noticed you have very little heartwood showing on the belly. Do you notice any difference in the heartwood and sapwood as far workability and compression strength?

Okie, Thank you, I like to use the top of a branch on Juniper bows. The heart wood lays closer to the top and the rings are much tighter that way as well. In addition it has grown under constant tension and is just stronger wood. I reduced the sap wood a little to allow for more heart wood for beauty and as well as compresion strength. Yes the heart is better for compressionand the sapwood better for tension. When using a branch the bottom limb of the bow should be the part that was closest to the tree. It will tend to give the bottom limb of the bow a naturaly "built in" positive tiller

That is one sweet bow!! Wish I had your skills.

Love it!!!!!

When you say you thinned the sap wood, how close attention did you pay to the grain orientation?

I don't know. I guess it's kinda an ok bow. LOL:)

Trux, Thank you
Living Waters, Thank you. On Juniper it is hard to even see the rings of sapwood  But if you take of several layers on the crown like (decrowning) then work the edges out it is fairly easy to get a consistant ring. However when adding sinew not as nessessary.I did get this one as close as possible
OL Roy,,,,,,,, well that's it,,,, now I'm going to have to level with ya. It's not really a bow,,,,,,,,,It's a whompin stick made just for you.      

That is awesome!  Great lookin bow!

Keenan that's what I was asking. I havent made a sinew backed Juniper yet and was wondering how much violation it would take with the sinew. This gun season provide enough sinew finally so now I am on the look out for a good stave log.

Keenan that's what I was asking. I havent made a sinew backed Juniper yet and was wondering how much violation it would take with the sinew. This gun season provide enough sinew finally so now I am on the look out for a good stave log.

Living, I have some curing right now and will be cutting some more very soon.

I may have to try carp skins someday...damn things are so gross though (SISSY ALERT!!) When I catch em I usually just cut the hook off after landing them (you HAVE to land them to count them but you dont have to touch them..again SISSY ALERT!!!)

BEAUTIFUL bow Keenan.  Man I wish I had the talent that some of you guys do.

QuoteOL Roy,,,,,,,, well that's it,,,, now I'm going to have to level with ya. It's not really a bow,,,,,,,,,It's a whompin stick made just for you.  

Wow I feel better now Keenan, it looked like a walking stick to me:)

 

Wow, I walked right into that one,,,,,,,you ol buzzard!    

Thanks again everyone