(Some Thumbnailed Photos - please click on the pic for a closer look)



Hi Curt,

Here’s are some pictures of a Hazelnut selfbow I just built.  Here are the SPECS and the story.  If you have not experimented with Hazelnut I highly recommend it.  It is super easy to scrape and finish.

Sincerely, Joe Klink


This bow is very, very special to me.  If you'll indulge me, allow me to elaborate as to why.

It came off "The Property" that my Grandpa bought over 35 years ago in Western Oregon, near a little town named Vernonia.  I grew up going down to "The Property" all of my childhood, my teenage years and as a young adult.  We used the property for camping in the spring in summer, and then as a deer & elk camp in the fall.  Most of my fondest memories came from the times I spent with my Grandpa hunting and fishing with him down at this property.  In 1996 he died and it still brings tears to my eyes when I think of him; he really was my best friend.

Fast forward to the spring of this year, me and my family are cleaning up the aftermath of a flood that rose higher than the "500 year flood" that happend in 1996.  Go figure!   Anyway as I was picking up debris I noticed some clusters of trees I had never seen before.   They were Hazelnut trees!!!  So I stopped for a bit and picked up a few staves and man oh man I could not wait to carve up a now from my Grandpa's property.  I promised myself that I would take the sweetest care in building and tillering any piece of wood from this place.  After countless hours of TLC, I can honestly say I have never been more proud of something I have made from my own two hands without any direct help from anyone else. And the icing on the cake, the handle is wrapped from some buckskins that my dad found in my Grandma's attic this winter. Holy cow was I excited to get my hands on that leather!

I plan on hunting for deer with this bow in the fall.  I know my grandpa will be with me, he's always with me.  I look forward to raising the bow, tightening my grip, and grasping the same piece of leather that my Grandpa laid his hands on.  I hope he helps me guide that arrow to its final resting place.

This is what draws me to crafting bows, every one of them has a story, and they will continue to create more. I hope everyone enjoys the ride as much as I do.

OK now the stats:

- Hazelnut stave, from the property
- Backed with Cherry Bark, from the property
- Handle is buckskin from a buck that my Grandpa shot
- Handle "thread" is artificial sinew
- 58" ntn
- 56# @ 26"
- Limbs are 1 3/8" at the handle fades & taper down to ~3/8"
- Stain is Trans Tint Amber Yellow
- Limb Tips are Black Leather Dye
- Finish is 10 coats of tru oil followed up by 2 coats of satin polyurethane
- And yes...this bow has zero handshock and is a smokin' fast bow!




This is Keith Anderson - with his Osage Bow (55@27) which he built while attending the July session of the Brisky Bows Traditional Archery Bow Class.




Court and Damon McFarland - Curt, thought you might like to see these up and close. Damon (our Youngest) immediately latched on to your static tip osage w/snakeskin backing. I prefered your osage backed with deerhide (painted). After a few minor repairs ie. re-glueing some of the snakeskin, adding a leather grip and rest, I give them both a new coat of finish. I then finished a small brushed rawhide backquiver that I had started before and painted it up to go along with your bow. After putting a few coats of finish on it I put one of my homewoven wool straps on and we started shooting. After a little tuning we both were dropping arrows in on the caribou at 40 yards.

I have never made a selfbow out of Osage. I have made selfbows out of hickory, ash, hackberry etc. Do you think if I purchased a stave from you that I could figure it out? I'd sure like to try my hand at osage. Oh by the way I posted this pick and give you a good name on Tradgang PowWow under the conversation of St.Judes things we won.

Take care.

Court



January 13-14, 2007 Bow Class (left to right) Tevin Overland - Vine Maple 45#, Justin Philips - Vine Maple 60#, Trey Carpenter - Osage Static recurve 50#, Bill Haveland - Snakey Osage 60# - sturgeon skins on next weekend and Ben Polhamus (not present for picture) made a Vine Maple longbow.




I finally got around to making a Bow from one of the Vine Maple I bought from you....what awesome stuff. I would never believe that a Bow with such massive knots would be able to be built from Maple, and this one is awesome looking and one of the Best Shooters in my Collection too.

I would be proud if you would add this to your collection of Photo's...and I hope you don't mind that I have added your Web-Site to my Favorites!

Thanks again,
Michael Roberts


June 24,25 Bow Class.

David Tiller makes a dandy English longbow with nice horn nocks.
60@27 and 69" nock to nock.







Alejandro Sandovalv - Mexico.
Alex bought the snakeskins from me.  From the site instructions he put
the skins on his Black Widow.

Applying Snakeskins



Ocean Spray Longbows made by Jim Remmp.   Jim makes and sells excellent Osage and Yew longbows for great prices.  Email me, Curt Brisky for more info.








Built by: Dave Shupe
His First Vine Mapel Shooter
45#@28" With Ebony Limp Tip Overlays and Ebony Arrow Shelf.

"Real nice bow Dave"




This is Dave Shupe's boys at the 3D Shoot. Shooting longbows made by their proud Dad, Dave Shupe.


Built by:  Michael Roberts from Amarillo, Texas

The Bow's in the Pictures from left to right are:  1) Modoc Style Paddlebow  2) Hupa Style Paddlebow  3)Potowotomi Style Flatbow   4) Wintu Style Snakeskinned Recurved Paddlebow



Built by:  Joseph Klink
Vine Maple Longbow