How many bows?

[jeffp51]

I saw a video the other day about a guy who claims to have taught 3000 people to make a bow.  In the meantime, I have around a dozen shootable bows around my house. It is making me wonder how many wood bows are out there since the revival of wooden bows in the last few decades?

[Eric Krewson]

I would say the guy is lying unless he is counting hits on a youtube video. His claim is like the sports stars who claim they had X amount of girlfriends, to accomplish what they claim they wouldn't have time to play sports.

It would be anybody's guess about the number of new wood bows out there, some guys are very prolific. I have made around 160, I know a guy who has made thousands and another guy (now deceased) who claimed to have made 10,000 bows and probably did. Guy #2 had milling machines set up to shape his bows, he would run a bow through the machines, string it and do a rough tiller on a balloon sander then pull the bow to 31", if it didn't break he shipped it. Total time start to finish; about 15 minutes, I was in his shop one time and watched him crank them out.

[BowEd]

Just to make a shootable unfinished bow does'nt take that long.The type of design and style can make a difference also.A bend in the handle type board bow can be made to shoot within 1/2 hour and the eye for your basic tillering skills achieved.Making a horn bow can take over 6 months start to finish but along the way making that horn bow more is learned IMHO.
I hav'nt kept track exactly how many bows I've made successfully and broke also but I'm sure it's in the hundreds.

[Eric Krewson]

The #2 guy was the infamous Jimmy taylor, he made mostly hickory backed cherry and hickory backed walnut bows. At first he sold them for $20 at a local indoor flea market, later he started shipping them worldwide and raised the price to $60. I told everyone who wanted one to order a high poundage one and retiller it to your target weight. With Jimmy you could order a 60# bow and get a 30# bow and vice versa, some accidentally came out to be pretty good bows, he made a zillion of them. 

[PEARL DRUMS]

I just finished up a one on one complete instructional class, I know for fact I couldn't teach 3000 people in 5 life times, even doing it full time. Those 3000 people he "taught" didn't learn much.

[jeffp51]

you are probably right about how many he has taught. But I wonder how many bows there are out there right now.  How many do you have working in your possession right now?  I have about a dozen,

[Marc St Louis]

Yes some people lay claim to many things that doesn't belong to them 

[bjrogg]

Yah I guess I tought a bunch how to build a selfbow to. If you count the ones I explained that the back of the bow needs tension strength so it needs to be the same growth ring from one end to the other. The belly side is under compression. You need to remove wood to get a nice even bend and the draw weight you want. That's it now you know how to build a bow.lol.

If I remember correctly I've built 44 bows. As far as I know all but two are still shooting.
Bjrogg

[Pappy]

Been involved in one area or another of a bunch, but from start to finish teaching someone to build a bow, probably not to many. I have made a few hundred myself and probably have 10 or 12 in the works in one stage or another. Heck I have 5 right now that just need finish tiller. Just ant been in the mood.
 Pappy

[PEARL DRUMS]

I may have 30 hanging around, very few have my name on them. I've built near 250-300.

[osage outlaw]

I'm guessing I have around 25 selfbows in my possession right now.  Very few of them are ones that I have built.  They seem to always find a new home.  In fact, I think I only have 3 of my own bows at the moment.  I need to finish up a couple for myself.  I have no idea how many total bows I have made.  I used to keep count at the beginning.  For a while I would make 4 or 5 a year.  Now I'm down to 1 or 2 a year.  It seems like I just don't have the time to spend on them.   

[BowEd]

One thing is I've made at least 5 different designs of self bows/a few different designs of wood or bamboo backed bows/sinewed wood bows/and horn bows along the way.

[Aaron H]

I've only built around 30 or so.   I think I have 5 or 6 that I've made, including my first, and a couple for my kids.   I enjoy giving them away best

But I also have 15 - 20 at some stage of progress.  Nearly every one of them different designs like Ed

[upstatenybowyer]

Geez, I've probably made about 100-150. Out of those I think maybe 15 are nice enough to give to someone who hunts, shoots all the time, or is a collector. I've given 5 of those away to such folks. Like Aaron, that's my favorite part about this hobby. 

[Ryan Jacob]

I dont have a whole of of bows. I do have about 12 halves if you cath my drift...