Old bamboo bows

[pditto613]

I found in a thrift store, 3 all bamboo Japanese bows for $8 each.  According to the owner, they were his father's and he bought them in Tokyo in the 40's. They have a laminated bamboo core and the back and belly are natural with the nodes intact.  They are delaminating in places and the glue seems to be very weak. But the limbs are straight with no dents or dings. What is the best way to go about salvaging these bows?

[shikari]

how long are the bows?are there strings with them and do you have any pictures?

[Pat B]

I, personally, would not try to restore them. Hang them on the wall and admire them. Study them and maybe try to copy them.

[pditto613]

The shortest is 66" ntn, no string and shoots off the knukle and is the only one with any identifying marks, a small sticker that says "asahi, tokyo, japan". The other 2 are 68" ntn and  have an arrow shelf cut into the riser. These 2 have strings, white flemish twist.  Don't know if they are original, but it is possible. Working on pictures.

[pditto613]

Pat B, do you think they will no longer be shootable if restored?

[Dano]

I agree with Pat, I wouldn't restore them either. I believe an antique such as these need to be left as they are, and enjoyed as they are.

[pditto613]

These are not quite in wall hanging condition.  the lams are flapping in the breeze in some places and finish is completely gone.  I bought the bows so I could try to repair and shoot them.  I'm not much of a collector.  Just looking for advice on type of glue to use, should I steam the lams apart then reglue, any wisdom in general that might help.

[2treks]

PM sent

[Pat B]

Being that they are all bamboo and being that the glue is hide, fish or another animal glue and being that they are almost 70 years old I would treasure them for what they are. If you try to re-glue and refinish these bows any historic or monetary value will be ruined. Even with their lams flapping they are still worth preserving. IMO

[pditto613]

Thanks for your opinion Pat and Dano.  Maybe I'm not the right guy to appreciate these bows for what they are.

[rainman]

Try steaming one and see if you can get the lams apart. Reglue with Urac 185.  It would probably be easier to build a bow using these bows as a template.

Dan

[Pat B]

I would be afraid the boo would be deteriorated too, not just the glue.

[pditto613]

The glue is gone, there is electric tape holding the lams together.  There are plaaces where it is still holding but I would say only 20%.  Pat's concern is my concern as well.  The boo seem in good shape but dry.  I haven't worked with boo enough to know.

[Don Stokes]

Any luck with the pictures? I'm curious about how they compare to an old bow I saw at the Howard Hill World Championship in Wilsonville, AL about 10 years ago. It was made by Duff, former bowyer to the queen, and still shootable. The guy who had found it at a yard sale let me shoot it a couple of times. Duff made and sold them commercially after he moved to the States, and I wonder if it's possible they made it to Japan. If so, they are truly collectibles. They are described in Elmer's "Target Archery", and were shot by Russ Hoogerhyde (not sure of the spelling) He was incredible at hitting the golds. He use three Duff bamboo bows of different draw weights for the different target distances.

The bows were made with vertical lams, overlaid back and belly with another lam.

[pditto613]

I'm trying to post a picture let's see if this works

[pditto613]

ok got it figured out but it is bedtime, more to come later

[pditto613]

OK a couple more

[Pat B]

After WWII, some of the GIs has Japanese bowyers build all bamboo "Western" style bows. There was an article in a past Primitive Archer Magazine about these bows.
 Try a Google search for the name on the bows.

[pditto613]

The other 2 bows

[Don Stokes]

Not like the Duff bow I shot- if they are Duff's, he signed them under the handle wrap.