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Bow ????

Fest 1.jpg
Fest 2.jpg

My friend Fest in the final stages of making his bow. Then, in the second frame, his first time shooting his new bow.
 
And then when you clear away the heap of shavings...........................................................I'd end up with a matchstick!! :rofl: :rofl: Luckily someone made this for me, but it's a laminated longbow.......(I made the grip!)
 

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Watched a block on YouTube making a laminated bow with mesh tape used for plaster board and a length of wood from the hardware store.... good looking bow when he finished

@lol thats a nice bow 👍🏻
 
It is a thing of beauty (in my eyes!)..............but I couldn't even (intentionally) make that matchstick!!

The understanding my friend has who made it, of the woods, that has gone into it......where the power and speed etc will be and of suitable power and draw for me is amazing, and in a way, tender?. It's animate and I treasure it. (S**t useless with it though!!)
 
lol said:
(S**t useless with it though!!)
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😂

Putting aside the skill and time put into making a bow like that, it’s the aesthetic simplicity that appeals to me. A lot off work to make something look relatively simple but still command the respect and pride that you have for it. Yes ! My mind is made up, I must make one 😊 or attempt to 🤔
 
If you're serious about making a bow @Ark79 , and we can find a couple more who want to do it, that would constitute a quorum. That makes it worth my while and would save you 250 squids each going to Forest Knights for a course. We just need to name a time and place (with the plague going on that would probably be next summer) and you would need 3 clear days to complete. 3 clear days with no shirking and skiving, it's fecking hard work and I'm a slave driver. I have to be, you won't get it done in the time otherwise. If you get cuts, bruises, sore muscles and blisters - tough titty - carry on! :) The biggest obstacle is the bowstaves so don't take down a wych elm, take down an ash - and now's the time to do it. The sap is down now, so by the summer, if you cut it to length and store it so that it can dry, it should be seasoned enough to work on. You need to find an ash that is almost straight and almost knot free, it needs to be about 12 inches diameter (10 inches min) but thicker is ok. Once you've felled it, cut it into about 6-7 foot lengths, then store it somewhere dry to season. If you've got axes and wedges you could also split it in halves or quarters, that's better but optional. If one of the quarters has got a bleedin' great knot in it, we bowyers call that something special - firewood. ;)
 
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Ichneumon said:
If you're serious about making a bow @Ark79 , and we can find a couple more who want to do it, that would constitute a quorum. That makes it worth my while and would save you 250 squids each going to Forest Knights for a course. We just need to name a time and place (with the plague going on that would probably be next summer) and you would need 3 clear days to complete. 3 clear days with no shirking and skiving, it's fecking hard work and I'm a slave driver. I have to be, you won't get it done in the time otherwise. If you get cuts, bruises, sore muscles and blisters - tough titty - carry on! :) The biggest obstacle is the bowstaves so don't take down a wych elm, take down an ash - and now's the time to do it. The sap is down now, so by the summer, if you cut it to length and store it so that it can dry, it should be seasoned enough to work on. You need to find an ash that is almost straight and almost knot free, it needs to be about 12 inches diameter (10 inches min) but thicker is ok. Once you've felled it, cut it into about 6-7 foot lengths, then store it somewhere dry to season. If you've got axes and wedges you could also split it in halves or quarters, that's better but optional. If one of the quarters has got a bleedin' great knot in it, we bowyers call that something special - firewood. ;)
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Thank you 😊 and I’m definitely serious about making a bow....
Even if I decide to make a bow on my own I would still like to take you up on that offer, and I have no issues with being told what to do or being told I’m doing it wrong, all that tells me is, your passionate about what you do and expect that from others, am in 👍🏻 ...Hopefully next summer this scurvy virus is away, ...I will say however, and most will agree on here, I’m the most unreliable person for showing up to meets 😂 it’s not on purpose, just life gets in the way lol. I’m sure we can get a few more people on board 👍🏻

cuts bruises sore muscles, well it’s all part of the process and connects me more to whatever I’m making so am good there also 👍🏻

So am off to study ash trees so I know what am cutting down😁 also the evil bay to look at Cabnit scrapers and draw knifes spokeshavers, I would like to bring my own tools when we meet up 👍🏻 And again thank you 👍🏻
 
So am off to study ash trees so I know what am cutting down😁 also the evil bay to look at Cabnit scrapers and draw knifes spokeshavers, I would like to bring my own tools when we meet up.
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There are various small and specialist tools that I can provide, one of each among a group is fine, we won't get in each others way. The three tools you will be using most are a small axe or hatchet, a draw knife and a spokeshave (All shaving sharp). I only have one of each so bringing your own is important. You will also need a couple of G clamps that will open at least 6 inches. When looking for a suitable ash tree the best place is amongst other trees, in a wood typically, they tend to grow straighter and have less branches and knots lower down. If you see an ideal tree with one nasty knot, don't worry, we are going to quarter it, so the knot will be on the quarter that we use as firewood. Harvesting the bowstaves needs to happen in the next few weeks, before the sap rises, we can figure out the rest at our leisure. When you have completed your bow and shoot it for the first time you will be a happy and proud man - or the owner of a broken stick! I can't guarantee that you will go home with a nice shooting bow, but I can guarantee that you'll come away with the knowledge and skill to make another.
 
Ark79 said:
Even if I decide to make a bow on my own I would still like to take you up on that offer, and I have no issues with being told what to do or being told I’m doing it wrong, all that tells me is, your passionate about what you do and expect that from others, am in 👍🏻 ...Hopefully next summer this scurvy virus is away, ...I will say however, and most will agree on here, I’m the most unreliable person for showing up to meets 😂 it’s not on purpose, just life gets in the way lol. I’m sure we can get a few more people on board 👍🏻

cuts bruises sore muscles, well it’s all part of the process and connects me more to whatever I’m making so am good there also 👍🏻

So am off to study ash trees so I know what am cutting down😁 also the evil bay to look at Cabnit scrapers and draw knifes spokeshavers, I would like to bring my own tools when we meet up 👍🏻 And again thank you 👍🏻
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I will say however, and most will agree on here, I’m the most unreliable person for showing up to meets
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One further thought on this. You live in the tribal areas of the Picts. I now live in the tribal area of the Mancunians, not as far south as my tribal roots among the ancient Britons of the far SW of England. So coming north to hostile Pictish territory is not a big problem for me. If you and some fellow Picts want to pick a date next year, we should be able to arrange this. And, after what you said, you would have no excuse! We would need a place where we can put up tents and hammocks and nobody will mind a lot of wood shavings on the ground. And, most important of all, yous would need some bowstaves. Ball's in your court!
 
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Ichneumon said:
One further thought on this. You live in the tribal areas of the Picts. I now live in the tribal area of the Mancunians, not as far south as my tribal roots among the ancient Britons of the far SW of England. So coming north to hostile Pictish territory is not a big problem for me. If you and some fellow Picts want to pick a date next year, we should be able to arrange this. And, after what you said, you would have no excuse! We would need a place where we can put up tents and hammocks and nobody will mind a lot of wood shavings on the ground. And, most important of all, yous would need some bowstaves. Ball's in your court!
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Now that’s a task lol bow staves could be possible, contacted my cousin who dose a lot of wood turning and board making, he collects his own trees to process.... so I’ve ask him to look out or speak to his mates, he has the measurements, apart from that there’s no way of me getting any this side of the year...

Organising a place for all this to take place could be a long shot, however I’m willing to give that a go, I will do my best 👍🏻
 
Could come in handy at the Spring/Summer meet Mike......if someone wants to have a go at making a bow?.....I may well have a crack at it :thumbsup:
 
Ystranc said:
Bump, I’m going to be dropping a few ash in the near future and can put some aside as 7’ billets if anyone is interested.
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I'm back!
If people are serious about having a go at bowmaking I might be able to help. The bowstaves want to be about 7' long before starting work. The wood needs to be reasonable straight and knot free, it also need to be seasoned for about 6 months. It will also need to be split into quarters - no problem if it isn't, we can do that at the time. If bowstaves are not available I can provide them, at a small price. After that you will need a saw, a small but very sharp axe, and ideally a draw knife and spoke shave. I have all of these - but only one of each. If there are enough takers I'll come to wherever the meet is held and do what I can.
 
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