Bowyer

Submitted by Paul Champion from Purdue

I study the craft of primitive archery, where everything from the bowstring to some of the tools I use are made from natural materials.   Four years ago I made my first self-bow out of a single hickory log.  Since then I have completed a number of bows, learned to fletch my own arrows, and created leather equipment such as quivers and finger tabs.  

Starting with a log from a felled tree, I split the log using an axe and wedges until I have a workable plank to make a stave.  Using hand saws and wood scrapers, I work the stave down to a thick, block-like bow structure.  It is at this stage that I determine what type of bow (length, draw strength, style) that I can get out of the stave.  I run calculations based on the properties of the wood in order to get an estimated desired thickness for the limbs at any point along the bow and start tillering to that point.  With a known bow length, I create a bow string out of sinew or milkweed fibers and constantly check the bend of the limbs and overall draw weight of the bow until I reach the goal.  Depending on the style and strength of the wood, I may add a rawhide or snakeskin backing to reinforce the bow.

A single bow may take over a year to complete to allow the wood to weather and dry to the correct water concentration.  Attempting to tiller and heat treat wood that has not properly dried or is too dry will likely compromise the strength of the bow, often resulting in the wood breaking.  My first bow only lasted a few weeks before the wood cracked, but by learning from my mistakes I can create good quality archery equipment.