1 (edited by geoarcher 2020-11-23 23:20:56)

Topic: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

Hi All,

I have just entered the world Korean Archery today as I received my first Korean carbon bow by SMG and a traditional Korean horn bow.  I would also like to thank Mechwar for making all this possible.  It was an absolute pleasure doing business with you.  Also the amount of care that the Korean's put into their archery traditions is second to none.  I am already very impressed with how I received my bows and the craftsmanship.  Few questions though regarding proper care, maintenance, and stringing for my horn bow.

1) It is recommended to use a heat box before stringing.  I haven't built one yet but was curious if there was a tutorial on how to make one.  Also, is the standard protocol for it to be left in the box every 5 days and if so how long?

2) Is there an alternate approach to the heat box method like say using Colemen propane burners to heat the bow before stringing?  If so, how long should bow be heated over source and how far away?

3) Is it always necessary to use the Dojigae or can one sometimes string it like this man did towards the end of the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjPOkPl5jQg


4) I was given wrapping material for the grip of my bow (see below).  To adhere the material to the handle, what type of adhesive should I use.  Hide glue maybe?


Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks and best regards.

Matt

https://i.imgur.com/Nnx5hH7.jpg

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

1) It is recommended to use a heat box before stringing.  I haven't built one yet but was curious if there was a tutorial on how to make one.  Also, is the standard protocol for it to be left in the box every 5 days and if so how long?

Elite members in our club who use real horn bows kept their bows in the heat cabinet almost permanently. What you need is a simple cabinet. Add some insulation and electric heater to control the temp. I think pet stores may have good offers for those temp controller.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/s_issara/yellowcrane/IMG_1282.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/s_issara/yellowcrane/IMG_1281.jpg

2) Is there an alternate approach to the heat box method like say using Colemen propane burners to heat the bow before stringing?  If so, how long should bow be heated over source and how far away?

My school use resistive electrical heater (those with heating element).  Hard to tell heating duration and distance as they move their hands by experience.
http://www.iwilltry.org/b/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/img_0122.JPG

3) Is it always necessary to use the Dojigae or can one sometimes string it like this man did towards the end of the video:

I found even experience archers also use the jig. In our school, only one who could do bare hand/knee bending is the master.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k40/s_issara/yellowcrane/IMG_1264.jpg

4) I was given wrapping material for the grip of my bow (see below).  To adhere the material to the handle, what type of adhesive should I use.  Hide glue maybe?

For practicing bows, my teacher suggest the low end rubber glue as removal is easy. I do not have any idea about the traditional one.

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

As sissara mentioned, a simple cabinet will work; a low-wattage bulb will make enough heat.

Don't use an open flame to heat a horn bow.  Even with a heat source like the one shown above, you have to be careful to not keep the bow in one spot too long.  The idea is to loosen up the sinew and glue before bracing.

Regarding the dojigae, they are mainly used when a bow is new (and, thus, a bit stiff).  Most horn bow shooters I know will brace freehand, cross-legged on the ground.

With all the above said, I feel a need to make some comments.  First, do you have any experience with horn bows at all?  I have had countless numbers of people who wanted to buy a true horn bow from me and, if they answered "no" to the above question, I would seriously try to talk them out of buying a horn bow at that time.  They are very sensitive items and one wrong move will leave you with a very expensive wall hanging.  If someone absolutely insists on buying one, I will accommodate them, but with the caveat that I am ABSOLUTELY not responsible for any breakage.  When I sell one, there is no return possible.

A horn bow requires a lot more than just stringing it and shooting.  When an archer braces his bow, that is just the first step in using one.  After it is braced, it needs to be secured in its own gungdae until it has cooled.  After that, when not shooting, the bracers need to be put on to keep the tiller correct.  Even during shooting, a constant vigil needs to be maintained to make sure the limbs, string and everything are *just so*. 

Learning to properly brace and balance a horn bow needs to be done under the supervision of an experienced archer; doing any other way is just asking for trouble.  It normally takes about a week of practice under such a person before one can be expected to do it by him/herself.

I wish you a lot of luck and hope we don't receive sad news.

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4 (edited by geoarcher 2012-06-12 13:14:56)

Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

bluelake, sissara,

Many thanks.  This will actually be my second horn bow though I admit my instructions recieved for proper handling for the other one were nowhere near as intense as for the gung.  But the reflex for the other one is nowhere near as extreme.

Yes I certainly don't want to report any bad news.  I have much respect and interest in the sport of archery, particularly traditional aspects and even more particularly for the Asiatic composites.  That's what got me into this sport years ago.  I am just now starting to aquire horn composites. 

The gung appears to be quite the challenge.  They are regarded by quite a few bowyers of the horn composite tradtion as the best.  So naturally I had to get one. 

I will perhaps make a local inquiry around where I live to see if anyone participates in traditional Korean archery.  There are Korean communities around but I suspect I'd have to go to N. VA to likely find a Korean traditional archery group.

Best,

Matt

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

Matt,

It's good to know that you at least have some experience with horn bows.  Please take care, though.

Regarding traditional clubs in the States, there are not many.  There are two official ones (New Hampshire and Boston), although the former is presently not active and the latter will start from this summer (I'll be at its inauguration).  Neither will have really any experienced Korean archers that I know of.  The only other club is a personal one over near San Diego, CA.  Well, there is my personal one in Michigan, but it's only active when I'm in the States (such as two weeks from today).

It's possible a Korean archer might live in the area, but I'm not familiar with any presently. 


Thomas

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

Thank you Thomas.  For gluing the grip material to my bow should I use a modern adhesive or traditional (fish glue, hide glue)?

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

You might want to try vet wrap, it's non-slip, and does not leave a sticky residue when removed to change after it gets dirty and it's cheap.

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

Korean bowyers generally use contact cement.

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

Hello,

Any feedback on the different feelings shooting with carbon SMG vs traditional horn bow will be welcome.

I would be interested also by the cost of the traditional horn bow, roughly.

Olivier

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

This is precisely why I have been so reluctant to make the plunge into a Horn composite. Im fearful of not getting it right.

Also, it is rare that I have the time it takes to properly brace the bow and maintain while shooting. So, to have a bow that I can simply string and shoot...almost......has much appeal.

that is a wonderful bow though, and I would love to hear your comparisons vs the artificial materials.

Please keep us updated.

Joseph

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

vet wrap.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-vz1M9T0OwqY/T9iwJuaR0jI/AAAAAAAAAHk/tiLtuG5RhZw/s720/IMAG0868.jpg

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

Thanks all again for your answers and comments.  Today I just finished building the bracing device.  I also assembled a heat box and have had the bow in it since about 2pm today.  I may brace for the first time tomorrow but have just a paragraph below of questions/concerns:

I have the heat box insulated with aluminum foil in order to generate heat to the bow.  The heating source is not a low watt light bulb but actually a low watt heating pad (8 watts) placed on a wood block that is slightly suspend above the block w/ 4 little suspension pads.  It is placed in the center of the box laying in between the bows limbs just above the grip.  The bow is now luke warm but not overly warm.  I used the heating pad because it was less involved then a light bulb set up and was a little paranoid that the bulb would generate too much heat (its also very hot where I live now) and cause de-lamination.  Temperature in box is about 78 degrees F.  So I was wondering how hot the bow should feel after a day in the heat box?  Should it have a luke/mildly warm feel or more of a heated feel to it?  Should I expect it to be more supple when bracing or still with quite a bit of tension?

Sorry for the long windedness of this but I really would like to do the bow honor and make things right.

Matt

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

big_smile Good luck with your bracing.

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

sissara wrote:

big_smile Good luck with your bracing.

Thanks sissara but chickened out just now.  The limbs felt a little too stiff and it cooled off considerably today.  So the bow was more on the cool side.  Unfortunately the Mid-Atlantic climate where I live in is notorious for this.  I keep the box out in the garage so that's why it is so susceptible to temperature change.  I know from leaving my horn bow out in the sun for just 10 minutes how supple the bow can get from just that and the limbs weren't like that and too cool. 

Actually if I could just get a little clarification on how warm the bow should feel that would help a lot.  I may modify the heat box slightly to meet requirement.

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

Remember, the warming cabinet is not sufficient for warming up the bow prior to bracing; you have to directly heat the limbs with something like a hot plate.

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

The main purposes of heat box are driving out moisture and eliminate temperature cycles. It 's set to only some degree above room temp. Then you will need hot plate for bracing.

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

Ok I got everything I need to brace with dojigae.  I'll likely do a second attempt this weekened.  So for the bow, when pulling it back on the bracing board, how supple should it be?

Supple enough that it can be pulled back and tied to the other dojigae w/ very little resistance almost like rubber pipe?


It looks like the gentlman in this video heats his bow till the sinew glistens a little.  I'd imagine the surface is very warm at this point.  His bracing seems rather fluid with slight tension:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjPOkPl5jQg

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

Remember that he is heating the bow at the time of crafting, not at the time of shooting.  If you see sinew on your bow when you heat, you've gone a little too far  wink

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Re: Help Needed for My First Traditional Korean Bow

Finally...

https://i.imgur.com/AirPvmG.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/HBYAOJr.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/091HS64.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/EtG8Ksd.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/tQmzxJu.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/uP69ziS.jpg

Hopefully these images can be seen.  Will post chrono results elsewere.

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