[Holten101]

in reply to: Holmegaard #36592

Duncan wrote: Nice work Holten! What kind of finish will you use?

Sorry about the late reply:oops:

I give all my selfbows linseed oil, the pictured bow has been coated once, so it will need at least 1-2 more coats (third coat takes for ever to dry)

Cheers

[Holten101]

in reply to: Holmegaard #34653

Reviving an old thread I know.

Just finished this Elm ”Holmegaard”. It came out at 48#@28” and 66” ntn. The outer limbs and tips could have been thinnner, but it shoots well now, and I really dont wanna mess it up since I have traded it for a rather large, old bandsaw:D

A large knot in the fade to the stiff part of the lower, outer limb makes it look hingy.
Brace:

Belly view:

Side view (1-1.5” of set). Strangely it had no initial reflex like most freshly split elm staves:

Nock. Serving is for looks (and to hide a less fortunate fade:oops::

At full draw. The lower limb is shorter than what I usually make them, so its not a tiller im totally comfortable with…did my best tho.

As to performance…well, its a creadible hunting weapon im sure, it seems plenty fast enough with heavy arrows (650 grs). It has no stack at 30” but at 31” you wish it was 68”;-)…the Holmegaard design is a low stack, low string angle design I belive.

Cheers

[Holten101]

in reply to: Can I fix this Bow? #34215

If it was my bow I would simply glue the splinter with some thin loktite superglue followed by a refinish, or alternativly cover it with serving to hide the repair and keep it from opening more (make a similar servering on the other limb for looks).

If its an irreplacable heirloom then contact a pro bowyer, if not the above should do it;-)

Cheers

[Holten101]

in reply to: Other woods #28484

I have done the following:

When ever I stumble upon information about potential bow wood (on the internet or in books) I find the tree species in my handbook. If the species is relevant to my area, either native, introduced or grown in gardens I give it a bow wood grade (1-4 stars). Yew, Laburnum and elm has 4 stars, ash, plum, cherry, rowan, hazle, black locust 2-3 stars, willow and fir 0 stars…you get the point;-). The grade is highly subjective and based on my own preferences and experiences as well as other bowyers experiences.

I also add notes about how likely the species is to check while drying (VERY important), if its good for back/belly only or both and if it is poisonous or not!

I keep the book and a folding blade pull saw in my car:-)

Cheers

[Holten101]

in reply to: Other woods #27706

I cant help you with local stuff since I live in Denmark;-).

But Bowyers Bible vol 4 and a pictured tree identification handbook opened up a new and wonderfull world of bow wood gallore for me:-)

A tip: Almost any fruit, nut or berry bearing tree will yield decent bow wood. Wood with a hight SG will too. Yew and Juniper (both berry bearing trees) might be native to your area.

Good hunting;-)

Cheers

[Holten101]

in reply to: Trapezoidal Limbs #37564

I think reducing limb mass is the key word here. In selfbows a trapziodal cross section is a good way to reduce mass, and it plays on the fact that most woods are stronger in tension than compression.
So a trapped back can take the tension while the increased area of the belly means reduced kompression.

Thats how I see it anyway.

Cheers
Please stop reminding me of Shrew bows…I want one so bad it hurts:-(

[Holten101]

in reply to: Instinctive Shooting: Practice Distances #37497

Because of the danish rules I am forced to be able to shoot at 25 m (approx 28 yrds). After a session of “long range” 25 m shooting I too find my self shooting high (but with nice groups) on closer distances.

What works for me is to end my session with 10 minutes where I shot one arrow at 25 m, one at 18 m and one at 10 m (repeat this for 10 minutes)…this usually gets me back to reality;-)

I curse those 25 m shots:-(….but at least I now know my exact limit!

Cheers

[Holten101]

in reply to: wood arrows? #27137

Using carbon/alu arows with modern laminatted glass/carbon bows is only “natural”. Using anything but wood arrows with an all wood selfbow is much closer to sacrilegious (imo ofc.;-).

I do like the toughness of carbon when stumpshooting or any other risky shots. But my taste dictates that modern materials go together and natural materials goes together.

Cheers…and safe shooting

[Holten101]

in reply to: A few things I've learned #62495

I cant belive this…none of you mention hot-melt glue. Allways bring a few sticks of hot-melt glue, the transparant rubbery kind.

Its excelent for repairing almost anything including minor holes in inflatable matresses, tents, clothes, shoes/boots…you name it. Works in all weather and at close to all temperatures, all you need is a heat source!

Its the one thing you dont wanna forget…besides bow and arrows;-)

Cheers

[Holten101]

in reply to: Technology Kills Tradition? #53397

First I must say that it saddens me that there seems to be an insurmountable divide between “traditional” archers and those who use bows with “support wheels”.

Personally I dont feel glas/carbon/epoxy is part of “traditional archery” (I have recently changed my mind on this point). But, I also dont think the word “traditional” serves us very well…what is innovative today will be traditional tommorow.

Note: I own several selfbows, selfvmade laminated bows, a glas/wood short recurve and a compound. My favorite by far is the glass recurve…but I love everything that can launch an arrow.

Cheers

[Holten101]

in reply to: Banana Cut Feathers…Anyone else love em? #53370

Sapcut…that sounds like the feathers I use;-). A slightly “distorted” banana cut 4″ long and 1″ high with the high point just behind center.

I use 3 and 4 fletch…I can hardly see a difference, but I have convinced my self that 4 stabilize BH’s better;-)

As to noise…mine makes less than than anything else I have tried (4-5,5″ shield, para).

Only problem…I cant get my woodies to match the flight and precision of my Grizzly sticks:-(((

Cheers

[Holten101]

in reply to: The one thing I discovered…. #49229

Longbows and flatbows (all wood selfbows in particular) generaly has better energy transfer with heavy arrows. And only exceptional all wood selfbows will ever reach the speeds of glass/carbon bows (its hard, but not impossible to reach 180 fps with 10grs pr # of draw weight imo).

The 10 grs pr pound of draw weight seems to be a good formular to get max performance from all wood selfbows.

If you want performance but still stay inside the realm of “traditional” a laminated glass/carbon recurve or reflex/deflex longbow is the way to go!

If you want raw authenticity you go selfbow and heavier arrows (imo).

Cheers

[Holten101]

in reply to: Holmegaard #39965

Yeah Petersen is quite a common name in Denmark, Sivertsen less so (im a Petersen myself..Morten Holten Petersen to be exact;-).

I have a few sources for elm (elm desease has been hard on the danish flora too). One is air dried boards (dried for 1,5 yrs according to a carpenter friend of mine), the other is me and a hatchet;-).

Ill be glad to ship a stave or two…IF (and this is a big IF) I can get suitable wood. Ill even throw in some danish chert for added authenticity;-). I cant promise anything, but ill keep you in mind.

David you can send me a mail on mortenholten@gmail.com so that I dont forget;-)

Cheers

[Holten101]

in reply to: Holmegaard #39400

Ok…been following up on this and it seems that there is consensus that something must have been lost in translation or misinterpreted in BB2 (I cant blame the author(s)/editors because reading and understanding european archeological publications can be a b…not so easy)

Im as certain as I can be that the bows were not crowned…and that they were not constructed as “backwards bows”. I base this on second hand information from people who have seen the artifact, drawings, pictures…and the most subjetive of all…common sense;-)

Crowning and “backward” design of bows from stems 3-5 inches wide makes little sense (yeah I know….who says it has to make sense;-)

Well..im planning on cutting down a handfull of suitable elm staves so that I can craft some Holmegaard bow’s this summer. Ill try and document as much as I can and follow up here;-)

Good luck with your project David:-)

Cheers

[Holten101]

in reply to: Holmegaard #37044

Ok…promised to bump once im on my Holmegaard project, but..truth is im confused on a deeper level. The cause is Bowyers Bible. those who have read the series (I trust you all have….if not get off the internet, grab a mug and start reading)

According to Poul Comstock (as I read it) the bows of Holemgaard age all had crowned backs…this is opposit to what I been “taught”. If that is true, then I guess a replica made from a board with no or little sap wood (as the one I have pictured above) is as close to the original as it is possible to get!.

Poul goes further yet by claiming that the bows were drawn reverse, that is hearthwood side as back!

Soo…to be honest I have no idear any more of what constitutes a Holmegaard bow!

Guess i have more research ahead of me:-)

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