Leathercraft and Bows

For the past several years I've really enjoyed building bows out of different materials. The body of the bow I'm holding in this picture is made from pvc electrical piping and the tips of the bows (siyah's) are made from hand carved oak. The style and shape of the bow was modeled after a Mongolian horse bow. It's light and short making it easier to draw from while riding a horse, hence the name, "horse bow." The wise archer would wrap or clothe his bow with skins or fabric for their protection. Sometimes when a bow is drawn beyond it's threshold it can snap or break. When this happens a piece or pieces of the bow can injure the archer. By applying a wrap to the bow it can protect the archer from injury if the bow should break. Over the years people have decorated their bows with some sometimes expensive and artistic wraps. The wraps on my horse bow are made up of hand stamped leather, python skin, and tied together with braided kangaroo skin. Other sections of the bow are reinforced with a natural fibrous string. The bow has a draw strength of about 40 pounds. Below are some picture of the details. You can also visit, "The Archer's Workshop Taiwan" on Facebook for more detailed pics.
在過去的幾年中，我真的很喜歡用出不同的材料來製作弓。我手拿著的弓體是以水電用的橡膠款製成，兩端以手工雕刻橡木製成。弓的風格和形狀是以蒙古馬弓為樣本。它重量輕，使在騎馬時更容易使用，故名為“馬弓”。聰明的射手會把弓以皮革或布料加以包覆來保護自己，有時當弓拉超越它的可承受的範圍時它是會斷裂的。發生這種斷裂成一塊或更多塊的情況時射手可能會受傷的。透過包覆弓它可以保護射手免於受傷，多年來人們裝飾他們的弓有時昂貴且富藝術感。我的馬弓是以手工雕花的植鞣革皮、蟒蛇皮及編織的袋鼠皮繩將它綁在一起來包覆的。弓的其他部分以天然纖維繩來加強。弓可承受的力度約40磅。下面是一些細部的照片。您還可以參觀臉書上的“台灣射手工作坊”裡有更詳細的照片。

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Sheridan Floral design on bow handle
弓柄以謝里丹花（美國唐草）設計

Sheridan floral design wrap for upper bow
以謝里丹花（美國唐草）包飾上弓

Braided kangaroo rope 袋鼠皮編織繩

Bow at half draw 拉半弓

Bridge for bow string to rest on and help stabilize.　 弓橋以供弓弦至其上並幫助定位。

Mexican Basket weave design blended with Sheridan floral design on handle. 墨西哥籃子編織法，於手柄處以謝里丹皮雕表現。