Bow - Larch #1

 This was made a trial, testing the suitability of larch as a bow wood, as opposed to the traditional pernambuco, which is losing favour owing to the need to preserve the amazon rain forest. 

The larch was a remnant from a dulcimer build.  I will also make sticks from Casuarina, Rimu, Matai and Kauri.

The curve was cut in, rather than bending a straight stick.  Cutting the curve maintains the integrity of the grain, and heat-bends can straighten over time if the environmental factors are not controlled.

The tip is lined with bone, shaped from a sheep scapula.

I carved the frog from a piece of Rimu, with a pair of abalone dots inset on each side.  I used a vinegar/steel wool dye to darken the frog wood prior to polishing.

As this was a trial to assess the suitability of larch as a bow wood, I dressed it with old hair recovered from a broken stick - as such, the hair is a little shorter than ideal, but I will rehair it at a later date.