I got a private message on the hog forum the other day from Jack who I didn't know:
I was looking through some old threads and saw that you make bows and teach other people how to make them as well. I was wondering if you still did this as I have recently discovered traditional archery and self bows and I am interested in making my own bow.
Thanks in advance
- JackI live for this, somebody who wants to learn how to make a bow and needs some guidance.
So, today Jack and his dad, Mark, arrived at the shop about 10:15. We wasted very little time picking out a stave and getting started. This is some of the wood we first cut over at Thomas' place 2 or 3 years ago. I had split this stave out and the bark had fallen off, so I painted the back and put it in the shop. Consequently there are no borers and it was a perfect candidate for Jack's first osage bow. It'll need some twist taken out, but it wouldn't be as much fun if it were straight. Here he is at 11:00 with most of the sapwood off.
Jack's impressive with the draw knife. He took to it like nobody I've ever taught. Here he is finishing the back to a growth ring at 3:45 in the afternoon (and a big lunch of smoked wild pork interrupted his progress).
He never needed a bit of help once he understood what he needed to do. When he finished up and called it a day at 5:20 he had both limbs bending and was closing in on floor tiller.
Jack's a pretty tall young man, nearly 6'3" at age 15, so we made the bow 68". We may shorten it though, his draw length is right at 28". He's shooting for 40lbs, but I'll bet we go higher than that as he can pull more than that already. Never have I had somebody new to bow work crank out a bow like Jack has today. And, it was 103 degrees outside, probably more in the shop.
I spent quite a bit of time trying to make a point and talking to Mark. I broke 2 or 3 beautiful pieces of flint, one I broke 3 times. It wasn't my best knapping day, but it was a great day of making bows. Life is good. They made an appointment for next Saturday morning...can't wait.
George
