• Registered: 2012-06-12
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Topic: Dojigae and Taming a Gakgung

I've seen many Korean videos where bow bracing is done but in those it looks the bow has already thoroughly been tamed.  When the bow is being braced by the dojigae in those videos it looks like this right before bracing:

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/TRADITIONAL-KOR … 2112611342

However when a hornbow is first received it looks like this:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ … k_gung.jpg

I was wondering if for very new bows, some extended time on dojigae is required before going any further in order to shape the bow more into its proper bracing form.

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  • From: NH
  • Registered: 2018-06-22
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Re: Dojigae and Taming a Gakgung

Perhaps the "taming" appears as the bow limbs take a set after several stringing and un stringing cycles.

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  • Registered: 2012-06-12
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Re: Dojigae and Taming a Gakgung

ShinLa wrote:

Perhaps the "taming" appears as the bow limbs take a set after several stringing and un stringing cycles.

Perhaps.  My experience though with a new gakgung was that several attempts at stringing and leaving them on the dojigae did minimal in any taming.  However I am unsure if I was doing this as frequently and as long as I could.  Also, I wasn't using a heat box.

I wonder if bluelake has any thoughts on this?

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  • Registered: 2010-10-15
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Re: Dojigae and Taming a Gakgung

Mostly, I think it is just a matter of regular use...

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  • Registered: 2012-06-12
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Re: Dojigae and Taming a Gakgung

bluelake wrote:

Mostly, I think it is just a matter of regular use...

Thank you bluelake.

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6 Reply by geoarcher (edited by geoarcher 2020-10-07 03:02:07)

  • Registered: 2012-06-12
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Re: Dojigae and Taming a Gakgung

I wanted to add this here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0DHQkczUjw

Very important because most gakgung do not come stretched out like this to the point where they can be braced initially.

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7 Reply by geoarcher (edited by geoarcher 2020-11-23 01:43:49)

  • Registered: 2012-06-12
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Re: Dojigae and Taming a Gakgung

geoarcher wrote:

I wanted to add this here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0DHQkczUjw

Very important because most gakgung do not come stretched out like this to the point where they can be braced initially.


Also, have to add here that this alone does not get it to the point where it can be strung.  Rather, its just to help stretch it out a bit so its not such a shock to the bow once the bracing process begins.  I found that after using a stretching stick, it was OK to begin the bracing process although it should probably be heated a bit some what before doing so.  I did not heat the limbs since I was very unsure about how to tell how much to heat them up at.

What really 'tames' it is leaving the bracers/dojigae on it for an extended period of time.  Especially if new.  Then you can attempt to string it some how for the first time, either with a peg board or, if you are really flexible, the way the Koreans do by sitting on the floor.

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