Hadza Inspired Longbow 58# at 28"

[organic_archer]

This osage longbow is inspired by the bows being posted on social media by a handful of my friends who live with and study the Hadza tribe. These guys are doing some incredibly detailed mapping/documentation of their language, diet, lifestyle, hunting techniques, and archery gear that's been really fun to watch.

It's a simple design with everything a bow needs and nothing it doesn't. It's not a true replica, because the Hadza use small saplings and the cross-section ends up being almost perfectly round. This particular piece of osage would've broken if I'd made it round, but I'm on the hunt for a branch that'll make a truer copy.

I didn't do any heat corrections on this one because it had a really nice natural deflex-reflex shape. It has a round belly, flat-ish back, and 5/16" tips with jute fiber nocks. The wrapped nocks are another inaccuracy, but it was only meant to be "inspired by" and not an exact replica. The bow is sealed with deer tallow, and the string is buckskin D97 with small loops just big enough to fit over the tips.

I've seen variations of this profile used everywhere from Africa to Europe, to the Eastern Woodlands. It's no wonder it was so widely used. It was much easier to make than a flatbow with a stiff handle, and it's buttery smooth to shoot with a hard-hitting cast.

Hazda Inspired Longbow
70" overall length
58# at 28" draw
1.25" wide to mid limb, tapering to 5/16" tips
D-shaped cross-section
Bend-through-the-handle
Jute fiber nocks

[Buckskinner]

That's a sweet bow and slick design!  Wonder how a hickory would handle that design? I know I could find a limb or sapling that would be suitable.

[TimmyDeNorCal]

Nice bow there. And great tiller.

Those are some string nocks straight out of the Traditional Bowyer’s Bibles! I have yet to try them myself because they just look like they are going to want to slip down the bow limb!

[bradsmith2010]

beautiful bow,,
hickory would work,,

[Stixnstones]

Tiller is spot on, nailed it. Just a cool bow all around

[Maxwelliuston]

Really enjoy how this is literally just a stick and string (with a superb tiller)

[Hamish]

A simple bow, but definitely not simplistic. Excellent execution, with beautiful results.

[superdav95]

Nice lines on this bow.  Love the elegant simplicity. 

[BowEd]

Sweet looking bend on your bow.Nice work.It's amazing the way osage can be put into different designs.Flat belly or D sectioned belly.It is good bow wood for either.
Made some bows from slivers of osage with the same flat back and D sectioned belly.Made them eliptical tillered though to avoid hand shock.

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That's a sweet bow and slick design!  Wonder how a hickory would handle that design? I know I could find a limb or sapling that would be suitable.

Hickory can work but it's weak in compression D sectioned or overly tension strong rather.You would need to heat treat the belly on it.

[organic_archer]

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I really enjoyed this build and will probably make more!

Buck - I agree with Ed.. hickory will work, but it’ll probably take quite a bit if string follow with a D-section. Make it long and heat treat the belly and it’ll do fine!

Timmy - these tie on nocks are pretty cool. They allow for narrow, durable tips and the wraps weigh nothing. A couple grains. They don’t slip down the limb because a tight wrap grips the width taper, and they’re glued with TB3 just to be sure they don’t move in either direction