"No Way"- A Selfbow in Germany (not for BOM)

[George Tsoukalas]

My daughter's husband is in the  Air Force and is currently stationed in Germany. He's a career officer. Thank God my wife and I were able to visit this past spring. We spent 3 weeks  with the with a side trip to Paris and Munich. They are renting a place that is brand new with uncompleted landscaping. When we arrived I noticed some great looking shoots just laying in the yard and already cut. The wheels started turning. I cut them to size, hand straightened them and bundled them up. No feathers though. I should have brought some with me. My daughter always shot with me when she was a kid. Wouldn't it be nice to make her some arrows and a bow so she could shoot a  bit while there? More to follow. Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

Well, I had a knife so that was no problem. I had to buy some sandpaper. My daughter had a saw which we used to cut some bow wood in the pouring rain. You's think I'd pick a straight piece. But no! I gotta do things the hard way. A visit to the BX garnered some sewing thread, a feather duster and a hatchet. Anyway, I cut the self nocks with saw, knife and sandpaper. I had no points but I pounded a roofing nail into point end and wrapped some polyester twine around the point for reinforcing and form more weight. I made her 3 arrows. The feather duster feathers are wrapped on with sewing thread and coated with glue. I ended up buying some polyester twine at a local lumberyard. That's the red wrapping at the point. Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

I have no idea what the arrow wood is. Kathy has to tune them to the bow as they are a bit stiff. I showed her how to wrap the sandpaper around the shaft and reduce the spine by sanding. I just ran out of time. I had to work outside and most of the time it was raining while we were there. The weekend I arrived I cut some bow wood as I mentioned. We think it was chestnut. It's a nice wood. I've never used it as the American chestnut trees in New England all died in the 60's from some kind of disease. Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

I roughed out the bow asap using the hatchet and a 4 in 1 rasp. I bought a nice rasp at the lumberyard when I bought the twine to use when the stave dried sufficiently to become a bow.  I twisted up a Flemish string. We went from stave to bow in less than 3 weeks. Kathy has a great eye for tiller. She used to help me when  she was a kid. Anyway, after I strung it I'd draw it part way in front of her and she'd help me decide where more wood removal was needed. Here's the bow braced. I did no heating and bending that recurve shape is natural. Jawge

[Pappy]

Cool arrows,can't wait to see what you come up with on the bow. That is called using what you have to work with.
   Pappy

[Pappy]

Cool bow,I was typing while you was posting that.Very nice.
   Pappy

[Parnell]

That is a super cool bow George!

[George Tsoukalas]

No Way has a bit of a set back in the handle too. The nocks were cut with a knife and a triangular file.  We were tillering out this bow the last day I was there. Nicks were removed with the knife and sandpaper. Kathy will finish it with grease. She wants to keep it as natural as possible.  Here's the bow at full draw. She'll get it her draw of 22 in. It's 47 in ntn I believe. I have no idea what the draw weight is. It's a bit heavy for her but she'll pull it back. She hasn't shot for awhile. The handle wrap is the same red polyester twine I used for the string.  Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

My daughter and I had fun making this bow and cutting the wood. Just like old times when she would help me as a kid. I still remember her grabbing her bow, a fistful of arrows and heading out to our backyard range. Shooting for the unabashed pleasure of it all. I've always tried to approach archery as a child would. I just got out and have fun. The same as when I was a kid. Well Kathy is no longer a kid; nor am I. Father and daughter. Both a couple of kids. Thanks for looking, my friends. Jawge

[Diligence]

great job Jawge..I really like the ingenuiity!  but more importantly I love the fact that you and your daughter are still making memories together.  That's just awesome!  I hope my 1.5 year old daughters will want to play bows'n'arras with me when they are as old as Kathy.

Good job Dad!!

J

[Pappy]

Very cool story and I know what you mean about a kids world.The tiller turned out nice to boot.
   Pappy

[George Tsoukalas]

Thanks, Parnell. I'm glad you like it. Thanks, Pappy. Give some kids a ball and bat. They go out and have fun....and then  the adults arrive LOL. I just go out and have fun. I make bows and arrows because I enjoy the activity. Thanks, Diligence. I'm sure your daughter will love archery too. Jawge

[cowboy]

Cool story Jawge! No matter where you are you take your passion with you . I bet that'll spike some interest from the neighbors over there..

[George Tsoukalas]

cowboy, thanks. Joni and I don't speak German but my daughter and her husband do. They both attended the military language school in Monterey prior to his first tour in Germany years ago. Communication with the neighbors was difficult. I noticed a few raised eyebrows as they walked by as they saw me working away at the bow. I also noticed a lot of friendly waves. Good people. Jawge

[George Tsoukalas]

I forgot to mention that this is a sapling bow with a pretty good crown and no appreciable sides the. The back of the bow is half moon shape. Gotta go plant some stuff. That's my other hobby. Jawge