First Post! New to Archery

[Gavriel]

Hi there everyone,
  I'm interesting in adding bow and arrow making to my rather short list of outdoorsman skills.

Since I'm completely new Archery, I want to buy a finished bow and build up my skills first.
 I've decided to buy a hickory selfbow from someone on Ebay for only ~$40. On his Ebay store, he makes 68"/ 58" flatbows and 72" English longbows out of solid hickory.  They are not stained or finished.
Is there a reason to buy a hickory flatbow over a hickory English bow? My draw length is 27.6 and I'm a small frame (but athletic ) 155lb 22 year old male.

Also, I'm thinking about buying 28" 35-40lb spine cedar arrows.

Thanks for the help.  I guess I made this post to double-check some of my assumptions before buying


**EDIT**
I've seen some reviews around the internet and on YouTube.  He seems rather legit.

[ionicmuffin]

a few things, first, dont post links to websites with sales, that detracts from the sales of the paying advertisers. Second. if its 40$ and looks unfinished, you should be careful, i also done see a full draw pic.  Third, if you do get it you may have to put a finish on it to keep it safe from weather ect.

[ionicmuffin]

but buying one or having someone send you one is a good way to start while you get a bow in the process of being made

[Gavriel]

Took out the Ebay links.

[BOWMAN53]

If you have something to trade, there is a trading post on here. I'm sure someone has a simple bow they can trade. And your more likely to get something finished and way more reliable/safe. Do you know what kind of bow you wanna make first?

[JW_Halverson]

IF you just plain can't wait at all, sure...go ahead and buy a cheapie bow.  If you have any ability to hold yourself in check, spend the money in second hand stores, antique stores, and flea markets on some simple hand tools and make one from a hickory or oak board from your nearest big box home store!

We'll all chip in to give you guidance and help to get this task done.  And if you post your general location, you might even have one of us nearby that will walk you thru your first few bows. 

[Pat B]

If I had to choose between a hickory flat bow or a hickory ELB(English[actually Welch] Long Bow) I would choose the flat bow. Hickory is very strong in tension(along the back of the bow) but moderately weak in compression(along the belly). A flat bow with a flat belly distributes the stresses evenly along the whole working portion of each limb. An ELB concentrated the compression stresses along the crown of the rounded belly. This works fine with compression strong woods like yew or osage but not as well with hickory.
...but, you could take JW's advise and let us help you build a bow. Read George Tsoukalas' website(at the top of the "How To" page). He has everything you need to know to get started. And, ask lots of questions. We are all here to help you with your project.

[toomanyknots]

You can't really compare the two in terms of one is better than the other, imo. I would go for the longbow, they are just so fun to shoot. 

[Gavriel]

Thanks for the advice guys, I'm really looking forward to getting started.
   I'm probably going to pick up this flatbow or check out the trading post.  When I find the time to really get started on a building project, I will immediately post here again.

@Bowman53
   I've been thinking about a bow that I can carry long distances in the woods and can pack enough punch to take down medium/large game.  Every winter I spend a week out in the forests of Vermont traveling miles on foot/snowshoe, and I'd like to add primitive archery to my skill set for surviving out there.

[JW_Halverson]

Howard Hill, agrueably one of the coolest archers in modern times, shot quite heavy bows.  He often hunted with stuff that would have left French knights in armor twitching in the bloody fields of Agincourt.  But he also argued that a well made bow of 45 lbs with well matched arrows tipped with razor sharp broadheads were fine for almost all North American game.

While it is possible to hunt legally with something as low as 40 lbs here in South Dakota, I think that is a little light unless you are one of those ghosts that can get close enough to spit on 'em!  Laws vary state by state.  Years ago, Tony Kinton published the current legal requiments in all 50 US states in Primitive Archer Magazine.  You may want to check with your state or provincial regulations for minimums. 

[ojibwatbowyer]

If your just looking for an opinion, I would buy one out of curiousity if you have the funds available. But buyer beware, the tiller looks off on some of those braced bows, maybe its the pictures. If they are hickory, theres a good chance at a light weight that they will shoot and survive despite poor craftsmanship. The English style long bows arent english long bows at all, at least the dont look any thing like mine. If you are already set on buying one though, go for it and let us know how it works out for you. At least then, you will know for sure.

[k-hat]

I flat out wouldn't buy a bow for $40.  if it needs to be priced that low, it probly ain't worth having.  If i were you i'd DEFINITELY go the trading post route if you aren't going to make one.  The "worst" of what you will find there (that's tongue in cheek guys, ain't nothing bad on there!!), is 100x better than that $40 bow, and probly better than bows that cost 5x that much on the auction site. 

Seriously, for that $40, you can get the basic tools and materials and build you a well tillered, safe, and effective bow in a weekend give or take with the guys on here.  It would take longer than that for a purchased bow to ship to you!!!!

Just mho

Course the down side is.... once you make one you'll be addicted

[Weylin]

I agree with k-hat. pony up more money for a better bow, better than that trade for a good bow off the site and best yet make your own!

[crooketarrow]

  $40.00 boy thats cheap. I sell hickory staves for more than that.

[Del the cat]

If I had to choose between a hickory flat bow or a hickory ELB(English[actually Welch] Long Bow) I would choose the flat bow. Hickory is very strong in tension(along the back of the bow) but moderately weak in compression(along the belly). A flat bow with a flat belly distributes the stresses evenly along the whole working portion of each limb. An ELB concentrated the compression stresses along the crown of the rounded belly. This works fine with compression strong woods like yew or osage but not as well with hickory.
...but, you could take JW's advise and let us help you build a bow. Read George Tsoukalas' website(at the top of the "How To" page). He has everything you need to know to get started. And, ask lots of questions. We are all here to help you with your project.

Hey Pat... don't tease the Cat 
...and any how I think you mean Wesh, anyhow the derivation of the Longbow is arguable, it could well have made it's way from Scandinavia Germany or elsewhere.
Gotta be careful what you read...
TBB says Mary Rose was lifetd from Plymouth harbour ... it was Portsmouth... I know... I watched it come up!
Del
(Rant mode .. OFF)