College-style Primitive...Can it be done?

[Andrea S]

Please, first let me introduce myself. My name is Andrea, and I am currently a college student in Montana, but I am originally from Illinois. I was bitten by the archery bug when I was fairly young, 6th grade or so, but after a few years, life caught up with me and bowmaking fell by the wayside. I've never really gone beyond crudely tillered black willow bows, and the project my father and I planned, making a hickory board bow, never happened due to changes in his work schedule and the start of the school year.

But here I am, in college, with all the glorious wilderness of Montana right outside my door, begging me to go roving with bow in hand, and not a bow or arrow to my name. I've been perusing these forums, and the itch is just growing stronger. I just need to know, from the wisdom of all the knowledgeable folks on this board, whether or not this is a feasible undertaking. Here are my resources:

A basement with room to work
A local antique store with lots of nice drawknives and other tools
Ace Hardware & Home Depot
2 woodworking rubber-tipped spring clamps
1 dremel tool
A lot of determination

I know I need some wood, I've been looking at purchasing a stave or two from eBay. I've got a small box of tooling leather scraps coming in the mail, so if I teach myself and get any good at it, I'll have something to barter with to get a proper bowstring, some field points, or some other resources.

So, can it be done? Where do I even begin?

[Auggie]

Id say youve got the first two good things, determination and the people here! You might also want to check out George T.s  site,( for a board bow) hes got lots of good info there,  i also enjoy his input on this site. Get started,ask as many questions as you wish youll get lots of answers,every one likes to see pics, and welcome to PA. Auugie. 

[wolfsire]

"A lot of determination."  That is about all you need to get started, maybe some sharp rocks and wood, but the rest is gravy.

You definately can to it.

Bows and Arrows:

Bow- you said a stave from e-bay, but at Home Depot could can get a board to work and there is bound to be some wood in Montana that will make a bow if you feel like cutting your own.  Pine is not that good, but it might may you some arrows, if it will split straight.  If not, there are dowels at Home Depot and you probably can find some shoots.

My first metal points were cut with a drimel out of thrift store butter knives.  Then I switched to nails.  I figured out that broadheads are best left for hunting big game.

Keep searching around these forums and asking questions and before you know it the shavings will be flying followed shortly by your arrows.

[Coo-wah-chobee]

...Like Auggie said. Jawge's site.......................http:mysite.verizon.net/georgeandjoni/archer.html. ..............bob

[Andrea S]

Oh, add to the list of available resources: Jim Hamm's Bows & Arrows of the Native Americans. Thank you, university libraries! Actually, building some type of Plains Indian bow would be of particular interest to me, partially because I'm in a class called American Indians in Montana and I could probably get some extra credit, and because being here has piqued my interest in the Native American style of bows and arrows.

[DanaM]

Welcome to P.A. Andrea, read and study same as you do for your classes, lots of good info in on here, Jawges' site.
Traditional Bowyers Bible Vol 1 is a good book to start with, but perhaps even better is Paul Comstocks book The Bent Stick.
Then get yerself a board and start making shavings As for tools a draw knife is ok, but I think a Farriers rask or a surform would be easier
to learn with, a 4 in 1 rasp from the hardware store is cheap and useful, a chainsaw file for nocks, a knife works for a scraper, you will need a tillering tree or stick,
a length of light rope for a tillering string and thats about it. When ya need a bowstring give a holler someone will send ya one I'm sure.

Have fun

[John K]

Welcome to the site ! Lots of good people here to learn from 

Nice pictures too !!

[waterlogged]

Hey, nice to see someone is thinking the same way as me. I'm on my second year of bowyery at college, and it couldn't be better. Drop me a pm, and I'll see what I can do for you. One thing I do have to say: watch out for your campus police, I almost got in deep when a campus safety officer saw me with my drawknife... Luckily for me, the director of campus safety thought what I was doing was 'cool', and he just told me to not assult anyone.

[Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive]

i'd personally say go straight for a stave off ebay, you can get a hickory or elm stave pretty darn cheap and it will be plenty good for you, use the dowels from homedepot for arrows to get you started- Ryan
what college you goind to?,   those pictures look like the missoula area

[medicinewheel]

hi andrea! - welcome to PA!
WOW nice neighborhood you have there! nothing like that over here in germany (not even where i live  ) so when you need a string for your first bow, just let me know what you want and i'll bring it along...well...than again...maybe i'll just send it in the mail 
frank

[JackCrafty]

There are two different worlds of materials out there: lumberyard stuff and wood you harvest yourself (green).  The lumberyard is the fastest & easiest route.....but you will need to make a long bow (so it won't break), which is not exactly Plains Indian style.

For Plains Indian style equipment (and for extra credit) I suggest you harvest the wood yourself.  First check piles of lawn/tree trimmings, ads for free firewoood, and any other waste-wood sources in your area....before you go trouncing into the woods with an axe.

Get yourself a heat source (like a heat gun) so you can shape the bow into a "double curve" and also to straighten the shoots.

If you're going to use a drawknife, you're going to need something to hold the stave while shaving it.....or you can take the easy way out and use a bandsaw at the university's wood shop.  You'll also need to dry the green wood somehow....but in the cold (where you are) any heated indoor location will work just like a low-temperature kiln.

The cheapest source for materials (staves, feathers, arrowheads, real sinew) is ebay (as already mentioned)....or a friend who is into primitive stuff.  We all carry quite an inventory.  

I suggest you make 2 bows and 24 arrows (all at once).  Pick the best bow and then pick the best three arrows.  Then go out and shoot 'til you drop.  

[hawkbow]

Andrea S, Welcom to the PA community .... you have all you need, determination and the great state of Montana, ( I am an old Hamilton Boy)...keep to this site and someone will surely help you to get started ... I am a hunter and avid archer but not a bowyer, or you would already have a stave headed your way... good luck and send pics of your equipment as you get it done ... Mike a/ho

[Andrea S]

Thanks for all the support, folks... it's good to know I have someplace to turn to when things get hairy. I'm actually in Bozeman, those pictures are from Hyalite Canyon (the big jagged mountain is Hyalite Peak).

[Slivershooter]

Andrea,
Welcome to PA, building selfbows is a lot of fun.  If you run into problems, have questions, or need some help, I run a selfbow building class for four friends from Bozeman on Tuesday evenings at my place in Big Sky, and you are welcome to join us.  The classes will run until the opening day of bear season, April 15, or until all the bows are completed.  Send me a PM if you are interested.  If needed, I might be able to arrange a ride up the canyon with the other budding bowyers.  Also, I have a good sized stash of bow wood and I'm sure there is either a stave or set of billets that would make a good bow, but most likely you would have to settle for Osage.

Oh ya, I graduated from MSU, GO BOBCATS!!!!!!!!

Walt Francis

[wolfsire]

Andrea,
...but most likely you would have to settle for Osage.

 

Andrea, if you did not know, many consider Osage to be the best bow wood.