The Latest Batch

​January has been a busy month around the shop at Ravenbeak Natureworks.  The start of the new year was timed perfectly the start of a new batch of custom yew longbows.

December is a distant memory and the staves are all stacked away in the drying racks for the years to come, it was time to start some bows, and I was itching to get going.

There were five custom orders I was looking to make progress on and had five beautiful dry staves ready to go.  After some blood sweat and tears please allow me a few moments to introduce them. ​

 52 lbs at 28 inches and 71 inches nock to nock. ​

First we have Ydalir. The name means "yew dales", from Norse mythology. The place that Ullr (the bow god) lived.

This was a really beautiful piece of wood,  bright white sapwood and some of the nicest coloured dark heartwood I have ever seen.  The tips are black bison horn and the arrow pass is inlaid black stone.  Completed with a light brown fitted leather grip.  It is now off to its new home in Sweden. 

Next is Big Myrtle.  65 lbs at 28 inches,  71 inch nock to nock.  A real clean piece of wood with nice tight grain.  It has black bison tips and a green malachite arrow pass.  No handle.  This one completes the set of 3 for a customer and friend in England.  It will be a great fit alongside Myrtle and little Myrtle.

It has the yak caps which always polish up really beautiful and the arrow pass is from malachite.

Up next is Parmenion.  42 lbs at 29 inches,  72 inches nock to nock. 

Again,  just a lovely piece of wood,  great colours and one small little knot in the lower limb. All finished off with a light brown leather handle.  This one has found a good home and is off to England.

Redynvre is 42 lbs at 28 inches.  The name comes from ancient Welsh lore (the story of Culhwch in his quest for the hand of Olwen) the red stag of Redynvre is one of the animals consulted in the quest..  71 inches nock to nock.  The tips are white moose antler which blend in great to the sapwood.  The stave had beautiful rings and colour.  The arrow pass is malachite stone inlaid for both right and left handed shooting. It is all finished off with a dark red leather handle wrap.  This one is now on its way over the rockies to Calgary.

Lastly the big one of the batch is Whitetail.  Named after the Canadian deer and the bald eagle.  This one is off to its new home in the UK.  It is 78 inches nock to nock and pulls 70 lbs at a full 32 inches.  The staves was long and clean and it really finished up nice.  The tipos are white moose antler and the arrow pass is malachite stone.

Following closely behind these is a batch of stock bows (4 more yew selfbows and 6 bamboo/yew laminates),  but we will get there soon...

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