Quick and dirty bowstring?

[Keith_Beef]

Can anybody give me any hints as to making a "quick and dirty" bowstring?

I got vol 2 of the Trad. Bowyer's Bible, and there is some interesting stuff in there about using Irish shoemaker's linen.

I have 2 bobbins of thread that I use for leatherwork, marked "Campbell's Satin Laid Linen Thread N° 832"; one brown, one white (so the 832 doesn't refer to the colour, maybe it refers to the thickness). Is this going to be usable?

I also have a bobbin of threaed marked "Dewlon 60"... I think that this is Nylon. Is it too stretchy for a bowstring?

As to the type of string, I'd like to make an endless, but I don't think that this is possible for the first string on a bow, since I don't yet know the required string length.


Keith.

 

[Bardster]

There are a few ways to make a bowstring - to make an endless one you really need an adjustable jig. There is a formulae for working out how long it needs to be. I ca dig it out if you need it.
The easiest way to make a string is one with a flesh trist loop at one end and a bowyers knot at the other. This makes it adjustable as the string and the bow "bed" in. Here's a Link to a good description of the flemish twist. If you have made your own cordage from plant fibres then you can do the flamish twist... The bowyers knot is also called a timber hitch and there are plenty of web sources on how to tie one of those.

Oh and to add - if you are using linen please DONT make an endless string. Linen doesn't have a great deal of stretch - in fact almost none. An endless string does not have enough "give" in it to absorb the shock of realeasing an arrow. This can fatally damage a bow. Because of the nature of the flemish loop it acts almost like a spring and the twists absorb some of the shock.

 

[Keith_Beef]

There are a few ways to make a bowstring - to make an endless one you really need an adjustable jig. There is a formulae for working out how long it needs to be. I ca dig it out if you need it.
The easiest way to make a string is one with a flesh trist loop at one end and a bowyers knot at the other. This makes it adjustable as the string and the bow "bed" in. Here's a Link to a good description of the flemish twist. If you have made your own cordage from plant fibres then you can do the flamish twist... The bowyers knot is also called a timber hitch and there are plenty of web sources on how to tie one of those.

Oh and to add - if you are using linen please DONT make an endless string. Linen doesn't have a great deal of stretch - in fact almost none. An endless string does not have enough "give" in it to absorb the shock of realeasing an arrow. This can fatally damage a bow. Because of the nature of the flemish loop it acts almost like a spring and the twists absorb some of the shock.

Thanks, you might just have saved my bent stick from becoming two bent sticks.


K.