Longbow build-along

[Stay Sharp]

This Quiver is for the bow I built.

I made a pattern from a piece of padding from when I installed hardwood floors in my dinning room. It is about as thick as the leather I am using but a bit more flexible. It makes a good prototype material.

My biggest concern with having such a big opening in the side of the quiver is that, over time, as the leather softens, it will fold or collapse. I will reinforce the quiver to prevent that from happening.

I am making the quiver out of 8 Oz. tooling leather.

In order to stiffen the sides of the quiver, I stitched long strips of leather to the inside of the quiver.

I left one end open so I could insert 3/32 dia. music wire the entire length of the quiver.

the next step is to at a bit if stiffness and decoration to the opening.

I stitched this piece of 5 Oz. leather to the quiver while flat (before shaping.

The next step is to shape the quiver into it tubular shape. I wetted the leather to allow me to shape the quiver and then used a blow dryer to save a bit of time drying it off. I then marked an overlap and used rubber cement to join the to ends so that I could punch the stitching holes.

With the bottom stitched, I joined both sides of the quiver opening.

Then I cut a slot for the shoulder strap.

Next, I added a piece to the bottom of the quiver that I could attach the other end of the shoulder strap to.

And then gave it a bit of decoration and some stitching holes.

Stitching the already rolled tube proved to be a real pain.

 

[Stay Sharp]

For the bottom of the quiver, I used a piece of 3/4 inch thick pine.

And then added a layer of foam to reduce the noise.

The bottom is held in place with decorative nails.

I do not have a large enough piece of leather to make a continuous shoulder strap so I have to join a few strips together that I cut out of one of my bigger pieces.

 

[Stay Sharp]

I stained the quiver with a mixture of dark brown and oxblood to create a burgundy. I added about a tablespoon of this mixture to a pint of denatured alcohol. I did not want a dark stain but rather an antique look and I know the neatsfoot oil will darken the leather even more. Once the quiver was dry (blow dryer assisted) I applied brown edge kote to all the exposed edges of the leather. Once it dried, I polished it with a piece of bone.

The next step was to return the oils to the leather that were lost during staining due to the alcohol and blow dryer. Without this step, the leather would crack when flexed. As you can see by the buckle on the right, the oil has a darkening effect on the leather.

After a few hours sitting in the sun, the oils had soaked in and I applied a coat of mink oil to further moisten the leather and to waterproof it.

The burgundy was a good color choice for this project.

The end user seems satisfied.

 

[Stay Sharp]

I made some broadheads and have since used this bow to take both deer and black bear.

 

[Stay Sharp]

Doing the bear skull euro mount. I start with the head in a frozen state most time since I do the mounts well after seasons close.

After a simmer, I got all the meat off and washed it to degrease the bone.

Then, using small pieces of paper towel soaked in 40 volume peroxide, I covered the skull then wrapped it in plastic wrap over night.

After removing all the paper towel pieces, I rinsed and set the skull in the sun for a day to dry.

When it is totally dry, I will give it a coat of clear matt spray.

 

[Summitthunting]

Wow that is very cool. Nicely done!

 

[noharleyyet]

Amazing chronicle....

 

[BrentD]

Wow! this is quite a post. And I can tell, it ain't your first rodeo either. There are thousand comments that could come only from experience.

You made your son a perfect bow as far as I'm concerned. That one will definitely be a family heirloom.

I like the quiver too. I use one of nearly identical design.

 

[Wilderness_56587]

Amazing!

 

[gouch]

love it

 

[elkantlers]

Thats Great. Very few people have the talent and patience to tackle a build like that.

 

[ZBB]

Man, I wish you would’ve joined the forum like a year ago. I found your thread about this exact bow on a different forum after a deep google dive trying to find info on building a longbow. I actually have the other thread bookmarked in my phone. I used your trick with the arrows on the limbs with both bows I made to make sure they weren’t twisted. Thanks for posting it then, and thanks for posting it now.

 

[Letthemgrow]

Incredible

 

[wayner]

I am glad I found this post not only because you made a great bow but i accidentally found your pictures of your quiver online, after having a full knee replacement I wanted something to do so i roughly copied your quiver with my own measurements but it was your pictures that inspired me to try doing one, I had never done anything like it.
your son must be well chuffed with his bow and quiver that will last a lifetime, congratulations on the bear, this is my goal to get a bear with my own bow and quiver along with my own broad heads and arrows.
If I may post a picture of the quiver to show and say thanks for your help, Even though you had no idea but thank you anyway,regards Wayne

 

[Stay Sharp]

I am glad I found this post not only because you made a great bow but i accidentally found your pictures of your quiver online, after having a full knee replacement I wanted something to do so i roughly copied your quiver with my own measurements but it was your pictures that inspired me to try doing one, I had never done anything like it.
your son must be well chuffed with his bow and quiver that will last a lifetime, congratulations on the bear, this is my goal to get a bear with my own bow and quiver along with my own broad heads and arrows.
If I may post a picture of the quiver to show and say thanks for your help, Even though you had no idea but thank you anyway,regards Wayne
View attachment 122604

Really well done. Nice work.

 

[Gerald Martin]

Incredible post. My creative construction skills seem rather pedestrian after reading this.. I do grind my coffee beans each morning though.