1st try at self bow?

[coop2564]

I have all my wood and equipment ordered. Going to try hickory since its very forgiving. My main question is do any of you fire harden your white wood bows?

If so, when in the process do you do it? Do you do it over actual fire/coals or just heat treat belly? Seems many say a hickory can be made to shoot as good as Osage and fiberglass by fire hardening and it eliminates a lot of string follow? I've watched a few videos but it seems its kind of just a guessing game on how long and how hot when done over coals? But those that fire harden say heat treating belly with hot gun will never hold form like fire hardening? What you say?

[Dkincaid]

Having only built a few decent self bows and some not so decent I’d say just get your first one to shoot and learn from it. You can start perfecting your craft and tricking them out on your later builds.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[4dog]

look up clay hayes on youtube..hes doing a series on fire hardening hickory to see if they stand up to osage...youll learn some stuff.

[coop2564]

look up clay hayes on youtube..hes doing a series on fire hardening hickory to see if they stand up to osage...youll learn some stuff.

10-4 thanks

[wolflinen]

I've never tempered my bow, but I've always thought about it

[mikebyrge]

It has been a few years but I have made a pile of whitewood (mostly hickory) selfbows. I never fire-hardened any of them but keeping them in a "dry box" and managing the moisture content makes a big difference in how they shoot.

Hickory soaks up moisture and in a humid climate it will never get dry enough to make a lively bow.

[Briar Friar]

It has been a few years but I have made a pile of whitewood (mostly hickory) selfbows. I never fire-hardened any of them but keeping them in a "dry box" and managing the moisture content makes a big difference in how they shoot.

Hickory soaks up moisture and in a humid climate it will never get dry enough to make a lively bow.

Thanks for posting your experience. Ive contemplated making a selfbow from hickory or yew versus osage. Following your guidance and living in a creek bottom eliminates hickory.
Good push MrByrge.
Good luck MrCoop

[Indian Joe]

I lightly flame charred my hickory after I built it and it definitly helped keep it from setting. Added atleast 5# draw weight, probably more.