Making a Bow
- Thread starter Kiamyr
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Come along to the amazing Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
If it was too difficult for a beginner no-one would ever make one, since every one is a beginner at the beginning.
The Bowyers Bible Volume 1 and 2. Can't recommend them enough.
The Bowyers Bible Volume 1 and 2. Can't recommend them enough.
Not at all. I have to say though it would probably be a bit more challenging on your own. I did a weekend course recently which was excellent help.
Bushbasics bowmaking course thread
There's also some excellent articles on primitive bow making in the Society of Primitive Technology book -
Primitive technology 2
Bushbasics bowmaking course thread
There's also some excellent articles on primitive bow making in the Society of Primitive Technology book -
Primitive technology 2
CAn't be too hard-I've nearly finished my longbow and it shoots just fine! Looks lovely in ash back and walnut belly, with a black string. The lower limb is just about perfect, but the top is a little soft for my liking, but it shoots ok so I'm going to quit while I'm ahead! I've made it with 30" draw, but don't know the weight yet. I was aiming for about 50lb@30" but thought I had gone too weak. I gave it to a mate and he couldn't get full draw, and he has a shorter draw than me! I had forgot that I have been strengthening my shoulders with an excellent exerciser from Quicks archery store: http://www3.btwebworld.com/cgi-bin/listprod.cgi/bishop/?search_pattern:Training_Aids it's the one called the saunders excercise aid. Very good. They also sell kits to make your own longbow with instructions, and could be an idea for starting out. http://www3.btwebworld.com/cgi-bin/listprod.cgi/bishop/?search_pattern:English_Longbows
Kiamyr said:
Not at all - as the people that made bows on my bowmaking workshop at the last 2 moots can testify
I am going to be doing a tutorial/article over the next few weeks so hopefully give you some ideas. As a starting book, the one by Hilary Greenland - "The traditional archers handbook" cant be beat in my opinion. The Archers bibles can be a bit heavy going for a beginner - though they are a marvelous read and a must for any serious bowyer
.Best practice wood for your first longbow is Ash - and you can get cheap ash boards from your local timber merchant.
wolf
Settler
In a couple of weeks time a long bow making course which I can personally reccomend is running at the Greenwood Trust in Ironbridge, an excellent way to spend three days!
http://www.greenwoodcentre.org.uk/Long Bows 25-27 October.htm
In a weekend you will probably (everyone on my course did) make a 50ish lb draw weight longbow and know plenty enough to make more! And the place that runs the course is well worth supporting for all the work it puts into keeping traditional skills alive.
Cheers
David
http://www.greenwoodcentre.org.uk/Long Bows 25-27 October.htm
In a weekend you will probably (everyone on my course did) make a 50ish lb draw weight longbow and know plenty enough to make more! And the place that runs the course is well worth supporting for all the work it puts into keeping traditional skills alive.
Cheers
David
Thanks for the response. I'm a complete newbie, like having never done a thing before! Would I be right in saying that bending a piece of wood in to shape involves placing it over a fire?
It can do - but only if you want to retain that shape.
The idea of a bow is that at rest - ie no string on it - it is a straight(ish) piece of wood. The trick is getting it to bend and then return to straightness as quickly as possibly - this is the power of a bow. One of the truest saying in archery is that a bow at full draw is a stick nine tenths broken.
To make a bow you shape a piece of timber such that you can bend it by the action of pulling on a string but that when you release said string it unbends as quickly as possible. To explain in these short lines is not really possible. If at all possible you should find someone to teach you, either by going on a course, of which many good ones have been mentioned in this thread, or getting hold of a good practicle book, as outlined above. As a last resort you could wait for my tutorial later this month
The idea of a bow is that at rest - ie no string on it - it is a straight(ish) piece of wood. The trick is getting it to bend and then return to straightness as quickly as possibly - this is the power of a bow. One of the truest saying in archery is that a bow at full draw is a stick nine tenths broken.
To make a bow you shape a piece of timber such that you can bend it by the action of pulling on a string but that when you release said string it unbends as quickly as possible. To explain in these short lines is not really possible. If at all possible you should find someone to teach you, either by going on a course, of which many good ones have been mentioned in this thread, or getting hold of a good practicle book, as outlined above. As a last resort you could wait for my tutorial later this month
I attended Bardsters workshop at the last moot in 8 hrs I had a finished bow and was shooting with it. I would say if you are good with your hands and know your wood working hand tools (Butt plane, spoke shave and cabinet scraper) you could make a decent first attempt having read a good book on the subject but the best way would be to do it under some instruction at a moot or on a course, Ive got the bug now, only this weekend I was discussing my next project with friend and cant wait to get started.
Good luck
James
Good luck
James
depends what you mean by a bow blank - if you are just starting then go down to your local wood yard and buy a piece of ashsavantuk said:
you want it 1 1/2 inches square and six foot long, it should cost you less than a fiver.
If you have any difficulties with this then PM me and I will see what i can sort out as i live 5 mins from the biggest Travis Perkins in the country and I have a good relationship with their hardwoods guy. I have also just purchased a 7ft length of elm which is 3" thick and a foot wide (cost me £30) I should get five or six bow staves out of it.
Errr, Jeff, that doesn't help Beautiful work, but a bit of a stretch for a beginner 
Out of interest, what dimensions have you used for the ash and how does it perform?
Beautiful work, but a bit of a stretch for a beginner Out of interest, what dimensions have you used for the ash and how does it perform?
The bow is 60" long and a little over 1 1/2" at mid limb. It draws 53 pounds at 27 inches. This white ash bow was one on my earlier attempts and even with sinew backing it cast is a bit less than desireable for hunting. My hunting bows are now ironwood, hickory or osage. The arrows are also milled from ash splits. The points are onondaga chert. Its miserable stuff to knap but makes an extremely durable point when everything works out.
Sorry if I missed it but Richard Head Longbows: http://www.english-longbow.co.uk/cat20.htm do a good range for the traditional archer and those wanting to DIY.
i have been an archer for the last 15 years and i have TRIED to make a good bow, i have read most of the books, but i can promise you now , it is best to learn how to make a bow from some one who has..find your local FIELD ARCHERY CLUB.. Not GNAS! the field guys make a lot of their own stuff, as i did. but they will have a vast range of knowledge, put NFAS (NATIONAL FIELD ARCHEREY SOCIETY) 
into your search engine and see what pops up, or try... steve ralphs... he is a great bower, i have had several of his bows, if i remember right his trade name is ALBION
hope this helps Den
into your search engine and see what pops up, or try... steve ralphs... he is a great bower, i have had several of his bows, if i remember right his trade name is ALBION hope this helps Den
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