Haven't done much in the past few weeks, you can infer why.
Current bow is looking okay, some mistakes as usual but not too bad overall. As last time, not sure of what to do. Really the only thing I have planned is to quick pickle some salmon but that is maybe a 15 minute long activity.
Only yesterday started on the new stave. May regret it but I split the stave into 4 limbs. This means I have material to replace either or both of the limbs should they break. It's an aggressive design given the material, but I have two shots at it.
The bowstring of my main warbow was too worn to use for the past month. I made new strings now. My shooting has deteriorated, military bows are something you really need to use every single day or you can't use them at all. But no matter, this has happened before, I'll be back to speed in one or two days.
Mental stability has also deteriorated, more so than the string. Obviously it was never good to begin with but I'm speaking in relative terms. I think there will keep being similar developments in the upcoming weeks.
I got the splinter out! The one that broke off and left a piece deep in. If you have very sensitive thoughts, maybe just don't read the rest of this. But in short, it involved a steady hand and a sterile knife. It felt weird to knowingly cut into myself, but it worked and it barely left any damage.
Should I just have visited a doctor, especially since it's basically free? Probably. But it would have been embarrassing to go in for something that small. Plus it's scary I don't know how to do something like that.
Well, it broke. Inner mid limb was too stiff, failing near the middle of the bow. Shame, that was the only bow I personally had a use for, the others I was just going to give away. But I still have materials for 2 more bows.
Instead of buying food I bought sparkling wine, ate a cookie and a cracker as todays sustenance. I'm drinking it right now, I'll probably get moderately drunk it's at least something to do. 3rd day of the no plastic thing c:.
I'll start on another bow stave tomorrow, but apart from that I really don't know what to do. My strategy so far has been to just work on something constantly so I don't have time to be sad but I know I can't keep doing it forever.
Update on this day's blog. It seems I have a little splinter in my thumb. It was originally a bigger one that I pulled out as it happened but it seems a small bit was left behind. I'm not sure what to do about this. It definitely will not come out, so I think I will leave it be? It's small enough that it might be okay. Maybe I can start calling it a friend after I lose it.
(Original blog)
I go to a store every day for food because of the expiring stuff that's on sale. I did keep the no plastic habit up, though I realized I also need to pay attention to where and how the food is made. So it looks like I'll mostly be eating potatoes and vegetables and those little aluminium tins with premade casseroles. I think the latter is mostly a finnish thing? They may sound strange but they taste quite good and the entire thing is just cardboard and aluminium. No, not the food, the thing it comes in.
My hands and feet are quite worn. I don't like shoes I still prefer wearing being barefoot in the sea of splinters and shavings. The hands, just friction from using the draw knife. It takes a lot of force to shave dense woods like hickory. It hurts a little but it's just scratches and a bit of skin.
English warbow is maybe 60% complete. Most of the really physically intensive work is done. It's surprisingly heavy, I think it would be at least 150# if I just fixed the tiller and cut no more of it. I want it to be around 100# so there's a fair bit to shave still. I think it will take 2 more days.
This day wasn't the best, but also not the worst.
I went to the store for food. My account is a single digit number now so not a lot of food, maybe about half of the recommended calories. That seems to be enough.
I've been meaning to stop buying food that comes in plastic. It's difficult but it really shouldn't even be a choice. I've done it a couple times before, I did that today, but I'll try doing it every time from now on. Not doing things like that is eating away at my already dwindling self image. It hurts a lot.
I started work on the trilaminate english warbow. I don't think I did anything other than go to the store and work on the bow stave.
A few cuts and bruises as usual, though I somehow also gave myself a small burn from sanding. Yes, the heat from the friction.
I would still be working on it but it's too dark outside to see. The core wood - greenheart - splinters like crazy. Some mistakes were made, a bit too much wood had to be taken off because of splinters. This was on me for not being more careful though, I shouldn't blame the wood. Despite that it should still be close to the intended draw weight (100#) but I will have less room for mistakes. That won't stop me from worrying though, I'm quite good at worrying.