When do you start calling yourself a bowyer?

[Peter-t123]

"It's also my belief, that in the medeival bowyer's guild, you would have spent your life becoming the master of the one particular style of bow, made from the particular wood, that was endemic to your particular time and place."

I really think someone could go from virgin to so-called master bowyer when it comes to longbows/warbows in maybe 2 or 3 days. Maybe 4 or 5 bows. It just isn't that complicated...  (...of course, this is just my opinion guys.)

you are joking, right?

[Josh]

I just tell people I make bows. I never use the term bowyer. TMI. I still get blank looks. They think I make bows for wrapping presents. Then I explain what I do and then they seem to understand. Jawge

...or hair bows!  LOL I get the same thing!   

[PEARL DRUMS]

"It's also my belief, that in the medeival bowyer's guild, you would have spent your life becoming the master of the one particular style of bow, made from the particular wood, that was endemic to your particular time and place."

I really think someone could go from virgin to so-called master bowyer when it comes to longbows/warbows in maybe 2 or 3 days. Maybe 4 or 5 bows. It just isn't that complicated...  (...of course, this is just my opinion guys.)

you are joking, right?

It only took me two bows to become a master bowyer. It is quite simple.............if it holds together long enough to take a picture it counts right?

[gstoneberg]

Absolutely, taking a picture, shooting an arrow, talking about it to a friend; all those a valid thresholds to have created a bow.

George

[Peter-t123]

"It's also my belief, that in the medeival bowyer's guild, you would have spent your life becoming the master of the one particular style of bow, made from the particular wood, that was endemic to your particular time and place."

I really think someone could go from virgin to so-called master bowyer when it comes to longbows/warbows in maybe 2 or 3 days. Maybe 4 or 5 bows. It just isn't that complicated...  (...of course, this is just my opinion guys.)

you are joking, right?

It only took me two bows to become a master bowyer. It is quite simple.............if it holds together long enough to take a picture it counts right?

read what i quoted again, that wasnt his point

[PEARL DRUMS]

I know what he and you meant Peter. George and I where just having fun is all. I will let Toomany answer your question.

[Bryce]

getting pretty heated up in here. im thinking that this topic has enough replies.

[toomanyknots]

getting pretty heated up in here. im thinking that this topic has enough replies.

I don't know, I think it was fine until pearl decided to randomly insult me.

EDIT: I don't remember when you showed up around here pearl but ever since you have it seems you have felt the need to talk crap to me, or try to correct me when half the time you don't know what your talking about (can't fix a bow with a crack on the back? When I have and will continue to sinew / rawhide / linen patch bows that need it with the rest of the world), I guess maybe to prove your a "real" bowyer or something. Even posted you the link to a chapter in TBB that describes the process, but I guess your ego still don't let you admit your wrong, or else you would lose your right to talk down to me right? Pretend to know what your talking about and stuff? Or like that thread on tradgang, where you told that guy that you can't recurve a red oak board, when I have seen probably like 5 red oak board recurve's that were bent with dry heat. But for some reason your infinite wisdom has changed reality and now it is impossible. Even though I am absolutely sure you have never tried. Whatever your trying to prove by insulting me I really don't care but it is lately making my favorite forum a pain in the butt so you think you can give it a rest already?

[Badger]

  I will share something I have a feeling that a lot of old timers will agree with, maybe not. Building bows is just like growing up in any other trade, at first we get discouraged and then we start to have some great successes, all of a sudden we feel like we know a lot. We are like sponges absorbing everything we hear or read. We continue on building bows, sharpening our skills and after a time realize that everything we know could be shared and probably has been shared in a relatively short amount of time. The ones we shared it with will know as much as us plus what they learned on their own. No substitute for practice and experience but we do tend to get more humble as we go.

[JW_Halverson]

I've sure had my share of staves that have left me humbled.

[coaster500]

I'm just greatfull you all decided to share with me.... 

The term bowyer sounds a whole lot like a job title and I hope this thing I'm growing to love never feels like a job...

[toomanyknots]

"what kind of weights do you build?"


Nothing heavy or anything. If it is for myself than I will make a bow 50# - 80#. I can build up to 125 fine but I popped a rib trying to go to around 150 on this bow (it was from an injury from a long time ago, some huge guy punched me when we was drunk and I don't know if he broke it but I couldn't move or bend or sit down or sleep or nothing without being in some pretty bad pain for like 2 months. I would of went to the hospitial but I had warrents at the time for some stupid stuff and was a bit paranoid.). Honestly I have zero experience with anything heavier and I don't want to. 

[soy]

I hunt so i am a hunter
I fish that makes me a fisherman
I shoot an arrow with a bow that qualifies me as an archer

Regardless of skill or success that's the definition
If i do these for a sorce of income that makes me a professional whatever

So by that standerd i may be a bowyer...however like many i feel the need to earn the term and do not feel i have done so....but as a reference to introduction to someone by someone i feel it could be used

[George Tsoukalas]

1993..when I made my first one. Jawge

[Pappy]

  There you go Jawges. Settle down boys.
   Pappy