Penobscot Bow

[job]

I've always been interested in the Penobscot bow, and particularly on how it performed. I've just finished one. It's quite interesting to shoot. here's a pic, I hope.

Penobscot bow ozbow.jpg (40.21 KiB) Viewed 2756 times

[longbow steve]

Awesome, more pics and specs please . Steve

[bigbob]

Awesome, more pics and specs please . Steve

Ditto ditto ditto!

[perry]

Very Cool, specs would be nice !

I made a Bamboo Laminate Penobscot about 10 years ago and I am struck by the similarities in profile between our Bows



Penobscots do not shoot an overly fast Arrow, they where conceived to Shoot Heavy Arrows as in the Region they where developed the prominent Arrow material is all high mass and generally Game Animals larger ie Moose. At the time I made my Penobscot a shoulder Injury was causeing me to consider my future in Archery so I made a 30# Bow to keep me shooting. This Bow has a 3/4" wide Riser yet Transmits increased energy and requires Arrows spined for a 45# Selfbow when a shoot around the Handle Bow would usually require Arrows spined lighter than the draw weight.

What lets my Bow down some is that the Short Bow is not reflexed and when drawn it follows the same profile as the longer Bow. It would perform much better with more initial Reflex and then when drawn the limbs followed the profile of the longer Bow. Tillering was a bit involved but easy enough. When my shoulder Flairs up I drag it out and shoot it

Enough of my highjacking your thread. I would really like to hear more details of how you went about making your Penobscot

regards Jacko

[Fraser]

That is one seriously interesting bow, what waits where they tradionaly made?

Fraser.

[job]

Very Cool, specs would be nice !

I made a Bamboo Laminate Penobscot about 10 years ago and I am struck by the similarities in profile between our Bows



Penobscots do not shoot an overly fast Arrow, they where conceived to Shoot Heavy Arrows as in the Region they where developed the prominent Arrow material is all high mass and generally Game Animals larger ie Moose. At the time I made my Penobscot a shoulder Injury was causeing me to consider my future in Archery so I made a 30# Bow to keep me shooting. This Bow has a 3/4" wide Riser yet Transmits increased energy and requires Arrows spined for a 45# Selfbow when a shoot around the Handle Bow would usually require Arrows spined lighter than the draw weight.

What lets my Bow down some is that the Short Bow is not reflexed and when drawn it follows the same profile as the longer Bow. It would perform much better with more initial Reflex and then when drawn the limbs followed the profile of the longer Bow. Tillering was a bit involved but easy enough. When my shoulder Flairs up I drag it out and shoot it

Enough of my highjacking your thread. I would really like to hear more details of how you went about making your Penobscot

regards Jacko

We have very similar stories. This was a light bamboo/leatherwood longbow I made a while back. It was only 30 lbs but had a lovely cast, but it was too light for competition work. I had a short piece of seriously reflexed wych elm, so I thought I'd stick it on just to see how she flew. With the front bow strung up she's now pulling 44 lbs, and feels very flat-shooting. The test will be down the range to see if I can POB at 60M, and make the clout distance at 145M. I hope to try this weekend. I've heard about the arrows stiffening up, plus some funny draw-force curves. The weight comes in early apparently. The other variation, the Micaw, is supposed to be different again. I might try and attempt it one day. Some people say the Penobscot is disappointingly slow, probably the mass of 2 bows instead of one. But others claim great speeds. Tony Semenuk of White Wolf Bows is making a modern version that is supposed to be seriously fast.

[job]

That is one seriously interesting bow, what waits where they tradionaly made?

Fraser.

Hi Fraser, these were made by a North American Indian tribe in Maine I believe, called the Penobscot. It's claimed to be the earliest form of compound bow? They do have a slight letoff after the short bow has been pulled taut. Go figure! Their cousins the Micaws made warbows with a slightly different seriously reflexed design that had a running front cable instaed of a fixed one. Supposed to be quite lethal!

[Fraser]

Interested to see what results it gets on the range, particularly compared to a longbow of around 45#.

Fraser.

[GrahameA]

Morning All.

... Their cousins the Micaws made warbows with a slightly different seriously reflexed design that had a running front cable instaed of a fixed one. Supposed to be quite lethal!

Do you mean the Micmac/Mi'kmaq.

If so this may interest some? Penobscot Bows (Has photo of Micmac Bow.) http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/inde ... ic=10369.0

Note: It appears that double bows in a number of styles were used through the Wabanaki Confederation.

Job

This may interest you... https://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/ind ... nowap.html

[Stickbow Hunter]

Looks good Job!

Jeff

[rodlonq]

Nice work job, they are very interesting bows.

Cheers...... Rod

[job]

Interested to see what results it gets on the range, particularly compared to a longbow of around 45#.

Fraser.

Did the 145M clout today easily. In face outshot a 56 lbs selfbow. And I could get on the target at 60M. So all in all I'm quite impressed.

[Fraser]

Interested to see what results it gets on the range, particularly compared to a longbow of around 45#.

Fraser.

Did the 145M clout today easily. In face outshot a 56 lbs selfbow. And I could get on the target at 60M. So all in all I'm quite impressed.

I shoot ABA so max range is 48m, and that's a pain with a lite bow. Getting on the target at 60 is impressive for a lite bow. What wieght arrows?

Fraser