Tillering: Verb. Getting a bow limb to bend evenly.
I've been a bowyer since 1994. I got into the bowery because I could not afford a fiberglass longbow. I paid $200 for a weekend class and came out of it with a basic skill-set and my first selfbow. Since then, I've written and published a few articles, and have made composite bows, selfbows, and backed bows. My preference is for a selfbow design known as the American Flatbow.
There are many styles of wood bows, and within each style there are different ways to approach it. "What is the best wood?" is often asked when one is making their first bow, but that question is the wrong focus. The questions we should ask are (in order):
- What are the best woods for the relative humidity of my climate?
- What are the best designs for those woods?
That is why there have been countless different bow designs made from countless different woods, each adapted perfectly to their environments and intended purposes.
It's not like making a static piece of furniture. You can't force your will on a piece of wood. You don’t build a selfbow. You craft a selfbow. You craft a living, bending, piece of wood. I have poor"traditional" wood working skills, but selfbows come naturally to me. Don’t be put off from making bows if you had a terrible time in shop class. Trust me, the skill-set for bowery is quite different. In traditional woodworking, you impose a design on a piece of wood. In bowyery, you nurture a relationship with the bow as you craft it.
How do you get started in bowyery? What resources are there? I'm the type of person who devours books and can learn from them. Ideally, I prefer to combine books with personal instruction. Some good websites are on my link list. I recommend Paleo Planet as good place to start. At Paleo, you can get virtual instruction and perhaps find a bowyer near you. There are many books, but here are the ones I find most useful:
Building Block basics (Get these books at the very minimum):
* The Traditional Bowyer's Bible Series, volumes 1-3
* The Bent Stick, by Paul Comstock
Graduate Level Bowyery
* Hunting the Osage Bow by Dean Torges
I have many more books, but the above list will suffice. The Building Block Basics are a good core of knowledge. The Traditional Bowyers Bible series has an extensive references section of other books about primitive archery.
What do I do with my bows? I have no interest in hunting, nor any objections to it. I shoot selfbows for the pure enjoyment of the meditative exercise. I make and shoot bows in order to relax
5 comments:
Look, it's the Central Illinois Sex Symbol in all his becargoed glory.
Don't make me have to get into slap fights, now.
hmmmmm, bows.
we should talk.
Anytime you need someone to go shooting with, just ask.
I recently bought a couple of old self bows at a (going out of business) cosume shop. One of them is a great old shooter, but one, made of osage I think, was strung too long and has a pronounced curve. do you have any idea how to flaten it out?
achilles,
If the bow was strung to long, then there is nothing you can do. The wood fibers have been compressed. The result of stringing a selfbow for too long is excessive set (string follow).
it also depends on how much set is there. It may be a normal amount, or it
Ah well, I was afraid of that. It is too bad because it is a beautiful old bow.
thanks for the input.
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