2nd Chance (w/pics)

[gordonf]

How many times have we all wished we could have a second chance, a do-over, one more time? Another shot at that elk we passed up on opening day because...well it was opening day and surely we'll get another. Another chance to ask that cute girl you had your eye on all year to the senior prom. An opportunity to take back something you said that you wish you hadn't.

About a year ago I made a vine maple bow for friend who had long dreamed of owning his own. Rick had no expectation that I would make him one and so when I presented it to him he was ecstatic. From that moment on I don't think he ever used another bow. He babied that bow like it was his most prized possession. It made me feel pretty good.

One evening I got a call from Rick. He was beside himself and practically in tears. It seems he had placed his bow on the roof of his car and then drove off. When he realized what had happened he frantically drove back but it was too late. Someone had run the bow over and it was badly mangled. By the time Rick was done detailing the damage I told him it didn't sound like it could be repaired.

A few months passed and I met up with Rick at a meeting of local bowyers. He brought the bow with him and showed it to me. It was pretty bad with multiple limb factures, a partially broken tip, and heavy gouges on the back and belly. I brought the bow home with me and laid it on my work bench. Over the next couple of weeks I kept coming back to it and holding it. Even though it was badly damaged it still felt like a bow – it possessed a certain spirit. I decided that I would try to bring it back to life.

First I had to do something about the fractures. I mated the splinters and aligned the edges of the cracks. I then shot superglue into the works and using clamps, squeezed the cracks tight. The gouges on the back were too deep to take out so I backed the bow with rawhide. I also wrapped one of the limbs with serving thread at the point where a crack ran against the grain and off the edge. I put a similar wrap on the other limb to make things symetrical. I sanded the damage off the belly and retillered the bow. I was pleased to only lose about 5 lbs in the process. The damaged tip overlays were replaced, the rawhide covered with snake skins and the bow refinished. The specs are as follows: 62" ntn, 1 5/8" wide tapering to 3/8", cocobolo tips, elk-hide handle with Strunk style wrap, 50# @ 27".

I named the bow "2nd Chance".

[dorris]

nice job thats a pretty bow .

[AkDan]

boy those tips really are nice!  good lookn bow too!  

You dont by chance know Mike Chadwick do ya?  if so givem a hi from Dan in AK   .

[4runr]

That is some fine craftsmanship Gordon. Beautiful!!

[northern fisher]

That sure looks good for a hit and run victim

[Benha]

   

[bentpole]

great story and a very pretty bow. Thanks for sharing.

[Dano]

AH!!the miralcles of modern medicine, I mean bowyer'in. Very well done Gordon.  

[sticshooter]

Just dropped my jaw on the floor/ Great looking bow. I rather like that there hat also.<><

[mike g]

I like the lines of that bow....
Very nice....  

[Crooked Stic]

Repaired with some character to boot. Well done!

[Killdeer]

What a beauty! Love the lines. I think I will run over a couple of mine...

Killdeer  

[Izzy]

Good lookin bow,hope it holds for you guys.

[peak98]

Great story, PLEASE let us know how it turns out when you return the bow to your friend.

[wakolbinger]

I love that. I'm a hopeless fool when it comes to things like that too. Sometimes it's not even worth the effort, but in this case it surely was. Excellent save, I'm sure your friend will be pleased.

Dan

[StanM]

Hey Gordon,

Very nice work.  If that bow held special mojo before the accident, think of it now.  Rick is a lucky fella.

I think of all the bows that get posted on Tradgang, I'm particularly fond of yours and Manny's.  Something about them.  Really like the vine maple bows that you make.  Hope to see them up close again soon.

Take care,

Stan

[LazerRay]

Nice bow

[Frenchymanny]

Gordon,

The bow looks as good (or even better    )than it did before!    

Amazing work that makes me want a maple vine bow!

Well done,
F-Manny

[Jerry Jeffer]

Nice recovery! Very smart looking bow.

[Panzer I]

Nice Bow, but I love the hat even more.