Back to the subject the thread is actually about.....
Taegeuk Horn Bow- I really love the fact that they did not cover up the truth and call it a semi horn bow as everything about it is as much a horn bow as one made a thousand years ago-only better!!!
I'm sure most of you just fell out on the floor--haha! Let me explain, things evolve plain and simple.
What happens today will be looked at has anctient history a thousand years from now, we only don't see it that way as we live in the moment.
The upgraded version of the horn bow is far superior to the old style sinew-fishbladder glue-hide glue-ect.. and the new synthetic glues actually bond and hold that bond in more extreme conditions and the replacement of sinew with bamboo or carbon cores or whatever the bowyer chooses is going to be more stable and last longer than sinew obviously.
I read a post on here somewhere I think may have been by
1 2016-01-17 16:58:46
Re: Taegeuk Horn Bow (Gakgung) (29 replies, posted in Bows)
2 2016-01-17 14:49:29
Re: apply the correct twist to the bow handle (31 replies, posted in Technique)
spam^
Giant bump because I don't want to start a new thread.. ..
Probably need little twist, even with a heavier bow, to rotate the bow enough to clear the arrow.
I sort of am trying to follow Gao Ying's teachings now, though I start with bow arm high and don't lean sideways when drawing. Does one really need to push the bow forward(out?) with the bow hand/wrist/fingers pressure at all? Because of how a bow is tillered? This just seems to be to compensate for an unbalanced bow, and can add inconsistency. If the arrow flies straight (ie not pointing up or down, as in bare shaft tuning), it is fine and there is no need to try to balance the bow/bend the top limb more by pushing forward. Although I'm sure archers can be accurate even if they push forward..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTZkrmM5hx4 Seems here that pushing the bow out/down (forward khatra?) totally screws the arrow flight with turkish bow, but rotation can help
Gao Ying advocated against "painting the ground"... which is when the bow falls forward and rotates out.
Master Heon Kim does not seem to push the bow out/down much if at all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hpysp0OkGU0
I think only a minimal rotation on release would be fine, plus movement of the bow arm backwards due to back tension. Would it be fine to relax the bow hand, letting it collapse without applying any force with wrist or fingers? "Pushing the high mountain" could be keeping the shoulder down, sort of pushing with the arm to keep it from collapsing and the elbow from bending too much? (but avoiding locking of the elbow) And let back tension take care of moving the bow out of the arrow's way? My guess is that it would be easier to be accurate with a relaxed bow hand, but maybe a little bit of rotation twist from the start of the draw could move the bow out of the way better. Not so sure about applying pressure w/ little finger.. sure that's not for really asymmetric bows? I never saw the bow fall forward in kyudo, it just seems to rotate nearly 360 degrees, probably easier to happen due to its size
guess pressure at the bottom of the handle doesn't necessarily push the bow forward, but twists and helps it rotate?
If your arrow is hitting try a arrow with less spine or just add a higher grain head-the correct arrow will not touch your hand/bow and should hit your mark; or maybe I just have magical bows..rofl
3 2016-01-17 14:13:22
Re: Taegeuk Horn Bow (Gakgung) (29 replies, posted in Bows)
well...the fact is I have spent more time doing it than thinking about it,lol
Humidity/moisture is more of your enemy than temperatures unless you go to the extreme ends.
Shooting my bows when they are all nice and in that perfect shape you seem to like so much because you stare at pictures, truth is they dont hold that shape at all most of the time and somehow I manage to still hit the target the same.
99.9% of your questions/concerns and just about everything else I have read in my few days on this forum could be answered by your own mind if you just invested a small amount of initiative and set aside a day or two and studied the laws of physics, chemistry and basic wood/leather working.
I keep my bows in 40%-60% humidity unless I have them out on a hunt or stump shooting trip, they re not as fragile as you think. If your birch bark is cracking premature then your bowyer screwed up in the application of hide glue to your backing/ ie, sinew
4 2016-01-17 04:12:19
Re: Taegeuk Horn Bow (Gakgung) (29 replies, posted in Bows)
Saying which backing is better is like saying which religion is true so I will not give a solid on that one 
but I will say personally based on my opinion alone I "like" the all famous Birch Bark and the not so famous Glazed Pigskin.
A humidifier/dehumidifier will serve you better than a heat box and a good set of running legs if caught in the rain
5 2016-01-17 04:07:20
Re: Taegeuk Horn Bow (Gakgung) (29 replies, posted in Bows)
Storm--the glues are water based, not hard to do the math on safe temps. Bows were of many types and materials used depending on Country of origin replicated. Colder=stiffer warmer=looser
6 2016-01-16 17:00:28
Re: Taegeuk Horn Bow (Gakgung) (29 replies, posted in Bows)
Nice, hope you enjoy it and it serves you well : O
Thank-you!
Seeing as your in the USA I would suggest checking the calendar at Saluki bows to see when Lukas Novotny"s next class will be in your area.
He is a friend and you will be hard pressed to find anyone who knows the Hornbow better.
Best Wishes!
7 2016-01-16 16:04:59
Re: Horn bow set? (2 replies, posted in Bows)
That video is preceeded by him demonstrating the technique he uses to string and brace the bow (horn) as he uses the hot plate to heat and soften the horn to "train it" into position.
Depending on waht the humidity is that day is an be a nice perfect shape such as on the day he shot this vid or it can look like a great big "P" lol but will still shoot well.
Here is the link to the part 1 video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_818akWfSU
8 2016-01-16 05:31:49
Re: Taegeuk Horn Bow (Gakgung) (29 replies, posted in Bows)
I'm kinda burnt out on real horn bows, don't get me wrong, I love them but I been shooting them for over 30 years.
I wanted something I could hunt with and not worry so much about humidity or if it was going to rain that day
The Taegeuk horn bow seems to "fit the bill" for the job. I'm really looking forward to it and the people over there at Freddie's site are so nice and the fast responses was really impressive. They even sent me some pics to drool over while I wait for it, now that is customer service my friends 
9 2016-01-16 05:12:37
Re: Is bluelake alive? (5 replies, posted in General Interest)
Yes, we e-mailed back and forth a few times just a couple days ago.
10 2016-01-16 04:58:55
Re: Taegeuk Horn Bow (Gakgung) (29 replies, posted in Bows)
Hi, I just purchased the Taegeuk Horn Bow and awaiting it's arrival
I will be glad to post some info after I get a few.....hundred arrows flung from her