HOW TO MAKE: A NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE, TYPE BOW

AND THE ARROWS TO GO WITH IT.

For various reasons, as explained in some of my older posts, a bow and arrows is not really a practical; or wise, choice of tools for use in bush-craft, or disaster survival situations, and could very likely be detrimental to your chances of survival. 

This having been said, there will always be those who insist on trying to fashion one; so here's how.

It  is just an illustration; but none the less, the bow, shown in the illustration;

 would undoubtedly break with first use. 
 For sure, the arrow will not travel to any where near the intended target:

 to find out why;
 first, observe the illustration;
 (including not only wood grain; but the hand, and arrow, positions) more closely;
 then-read more.

MISCONCEPTIONS

There are many, many, many misconceptions not only about how Native North and Central and South Americans made their bows and arrows; but how they used them as well. Many of these derive from television “Reality Survival” programs and “John Wayne Westerns; that were and are; more concerned with producing props and scripts for the shows cheaply; and quickly; than with striving for historical accuracy, reality, or even common sense. Often the bows and arrows shown have been made of fibreglass with high-tension cloth rope or string and painted to look like wood. These differ significantly in form, function, and type, from true native bows. Still other images have been of what is commonly known as a “composite bow”, which is a bow, made from several flat layers of different woods and materials. The absence of steel tools in Native, North American, culture made this type of bow, or arrow, impossible for them to create.

REMEMBER

Unlike in other areas of the world; Native North American’s did not begin using bow and arrow technology until about 1,500 years ago. Prior to the advent of the bow and arrow, the spear thrower or atlatl (an Aztec word) was commonly used. Most “arrowheads” seen in museums or that are found today which are longer than 1 inch were really points for the long, spear-length atlatl shafts. What are now often referred to as “bird-points”, were the true arrowheads. They were used for almost everything from hunting bison (when and where this was ever possible) and rabbits to occasional warfare. The bows used by natives of the AMERICAS were short, notably inaccurate, and not very powerful. As is true, almost, anywhere that arrows were, or are, used to hunt birds; the arrows used were,and are usually, blunt, or ball tipped.

Bows then were much different from the large and elaborate compound hunting bows used today. They were much, much, lighter. Also, the English style longbow didn't lend itself to the realities facing hunters on the American Continents; where dense forest, or jungle, had to be threaded through and a cumbersomely long bow would get hung up in vines and brush! So, a short stout bow was used (or so it is commonly believed), pretty much by all tribes. While it was not near as powerful, and didn't shoot as far as a long bow, that was not the idea. The aboriginal hunters mostly relied on stealth, tracking skills patience and what they had learned from “THE CREATOR”Nature to get close to their quarry. Even so it usually took more than one-sometimes many-arrows to make a kill.

Even a relatively short bow (4 to 5 feet) is capable of delivering an arrow quite a distance. The power of a bow isn't only in its length, however, but its power is really in its stiffness (one reason not to use green wood when fashioning a bow). After an archer learns the basic skills with a light bow, they can then make a longer stiffer, more powerful, bow for shooting larger targets at greater distances.

A flatbow is a bow with non-recurved, flat, relatively wide limbs that are approximately rectangular in cross-section. Because the limbs are relatively wide, thickness (of flatbows) will usually begin narrow(thin) and become deeper at the handle, with a rounded, non-bending, handle for easier grip. This design differs from that of a longbow, which has rounded limbs that are circular or D shaped in cross-section, and is usually widest at the handle Contrary to common belief and actual  intent, in reality; a flatbow (the bow most commonly used by natives anywhere in the Americas) is, usually, just as long as a longbow. Traditional flatbows are usually wooden selfbows (bows made of one solid piece of wood), though laminated and composite flatbows have been made in ancient, and modern, times.

The flatbow is a superior bow design for almost all materials because the stress is more evenly spread out than with rounded limb sections. A bow limb is essentially a flexed beam undergoing bending, and in any flexed beam the farther from the neutral axis (line in the middle of the flexing beam which is not under tension or compression) the more stress there is within the material. When a limb is rounded, as in a longbow, some material "sticks out" farther from the neutral axis, and thus is put under greater stress. In a flatbow, the flat belly and back ensures that all of the most highly strained material is a uniform distance from the neutral axis, spreading the load over a wider limb, minimizing stress and making weaker woods far less likely to fail (break or become permanently bent and lose the springiness needed in a bow).

 Only particularly resilient timbers can make an effective and powerful wooden longbow. For the above reasons, the lashed/tied together composite"Survival Bows", so often seen, or described, in the many articles and videos dealing with the subject; are  useless; except that is, possibly as kindling. 

Disadvantages of a rectangular cross-section: Compared to a narrow, rounded longbow design, the bowyer needs to start with a wider stave, take more time to achieve an approximately-rectangular cross-section, and may need to cut through growth rings on the back of the bow which can cause breakage.

HOW TO MAKE A BOW

Native North Americans used all kinds of wood and other materials for bows, but some wood is better than others for the finest bows. Generally speaking, do not use Western Larch (more commonly called Tamarack by older generation Canadians). It makes a very good fence post; but because in tends to have a twisting grain it is not really suitable for the fashioning of a bow.

Bows were usually made with the best wood that was locally available in their territory, but some woods had such a good reputation for bows that people would trade bow wood over hundreds of miles. One such wood is Osage Orange. Osage orange is a hardwood that becomes bright orange in colour when its bark is peeled, and it is stiff and strong. Hickory was a favourite of my grandfather. Ash, birch, cedar, elm, oak, yew, black locust, juniper, willow, choke-cherry, Saskatoon and other local woods can be also be used for bows, although they may be more fragile. Wapiti antlers, mountain sheep horn, bison horn, and ribs, and caribou antler also were used when and where available.

STEPS

The selection of the right piece of wood helps in the creation of the bow, including length, straightness, grain (lack of side branches.

Look for a shoot, or limb; that is nearly straight for 4 to 5 feet in length and is about 1 to 11/2 inches in diameter. You will find that this is the hardest part about making a bow. Side twigs are OK  but side branches are not, since they distort the grain of the limb and weaken the wood. In some cases, (actually this is usually; the most efficient, and practical, technique) you can cut a thicker limb, or log, with side branches; if all the side branches are on one side. The thicker limb or log can then be split down the middle, using an axe, or wedge; and the side, or sides, without the branches can be used to fashion the bow. Of course, in any case, the wood has to be dried and seasoned.

If you have the time available there is method; which surprisingly, was used on occasion by most tribal peoples of the world; including those of the three Americas.

In Modern Times It Is Still Used By Some Weekend Survivors And Bushcrafters-Providing They Have Available Either A Large Work Shop Or Have Found A “Survival Location Where Some Other “Survivor” Has Previously Hauled In A Semi Trailer Full Of Equipment.

Flatbow Making-Starting From a Fallen Tree or log.

Ash wood is flexible and good for bows but only as a flatbow, as this style allows for more flexibility in the bow in comparison to the ‘D’ section profile of a so called longbow.

Tree Felling

The ideal tree should have a section as straight as possible from the ground to about 7 feet with no side branches. This is the area you will cut the stave or staves from.

1.    A line is scored in the bark down to the wood firstly. This helps with guiding the splitting of the log.

2.    An axe-or in primitive times, a stone wedge- is then driven into the scored line to start the split. Note the axe or wedge should be kept at 90 degrees to the person hammering it in. This maintains a safe position for the worker.

3.    The first axe is followed by a second axe or wedge, to widen the split.

4.    As other wedges are driven deeper into the split; the previous ones can be removed, and used again.

5.    An axe can also be used to cut the wood fibres not split by the wedges.

6.    Once the log has been split once the process is repeated again and again until you have the staves you require. In actual reality, it through theemployment of this general method that most arrow shafts were produced.

7.    Being very careful to only remove the outer and inner bark and not touch any of the wood; use a draw knife shave off the bark of the stave.

8.    The wood found just under the bark is the most flexible part of the bow and will form the back of the bow. Apart from light sanding this area of the bow will not be touched.

9.    Use a string to mark out a centre line, down the length of the stave; then mark out the shape of the bow.

10. Saw stop cuts all along the stave. These cuts help when chopping out the excess wood. As a piece of wood is cut out with the axe the stop cut stops a split running through the whole bow so that you only cut out the wood you want.

11. Once the top profile is cut out the side profile needs to be cut out.

12. Again using stop cuts the stave was roughed out, to the basic shape of the bow.

13. At this point the bow should be left to season for a about a month; one week in your well-equipped garage or work shop, and for three weeks in a cool spot in your favourite  survival cave, house, survival shelter, or tent. This should allow the wood to season enough to start the fine work.

14. The bow should be clamped down for the fine work. Begin by using a draw knife; then, move onto a spoke shave. Having the bow clamped will allow you to use the tools safely and with precision.

15. For very fine shaving, use a cabinet scraper. Tested the bows flexibility by floor tillering it- this involves pushing down on each limb to test the flexibility and then comparing the flexibility of each limb. Look for an even flexibility in each limb.

16. Next, carve out the knocks on each limb, using a round wood file. The knock should be at an angle of about 45 degrees and deep enough so that the string does not slip off.

17. Finally sand the knock so that the edges don’t abrade the string. Use some strong nylon string at first. One end of the string is tied on with an overhand loop and the other end with a timber hitch. At this stage the bow should not be put under any tension, by the string; so that the bow can be trained to bend in increments by using the upright tiller(putting the bow under too much tension will lead quite quickly to it snapping or cracking).Placed the bow on the tiller and in increments slowly bend it to view the curve on each limb.

18. After viewing; return to the workbench, to scrape wood from areas of stiffness using the cabinet scrape, or spoke shave.

19. Final brace about six inches;; tillering is now complete, with evenly curved limbs-time to take the first shot-provided you have done everything correctly, the bow should not break, and you might even manage to hit the target.

20. Your bow will still have to be finished with some kind of preservative.

Here are a few other things to consider when selecting parts for your bow and your arrows.

The bow and the arrows form a complete technology. Each element must be balanced in proportion to the others and to the user to make an effective tool. The bow acts as a pair of springs connected by the grip or handle. As the string is pulled the material on the inside or belly of the bow limbs compresses, while the outside or back is stretched and is placed under tension. This action stores the energy used to draw the string back. When the string is released, the limbs quickly return to their state of rest and release the energy stored by drawing the string. Therefore, the power of a bow is measured in terms of draw weight.

The height and strength of the archer determines the ideal draw weight of the bow. A combination of the length of draw and the draw weight of the bow denotes the cast (propelling force) of the bow.

The draw weight of the bow also determines the weight and diameter of the arrow shaft. Even a bow with a high draw weight can only throw an arrow so far. If the arrow is too heavy, it will not fly far or fast enough to be very useful. A shaft that is too thick or too thin will also lead to problems. It must compress enough to bend around the bow staff as it is launched by the string. If it does not bend, the arrow flies off target. If it bends too much, it will wobble (reducing the striking force) or even shatter.

The length of the draw is also determined by the body of the archer, determines the length of the arrow. The maximum cast of the bow determines the maximum weight of the point. This is how we know that certain “arrow heads cannot really have been used on an arrow, at least not to any good effect.

1.       Find a piece of dry, seasoned, but not grey and cracking hardwood. This piece of wood should be somewhat flexible.

2.       Try to get a piece of wood that curves enough so that when you release arrows, the string doesn't slap the side of your wrist (which can be very painful).

3.       Green wood can be used but only is absolutely necessary. Just was when building a tip-up snare; it should normally be avoided because it does not provide the same power as dry wood. If using green wood, try for pine. It is the easiest to cut, and clean. Also, if using green wood, skin it and soak it in hot water. This will help the bow to bend. If it is green wood once you bend it, you can smoke it over a fire to dry it; just don’t hold it so close that is burns or scorches.

4.       Determine the natural curve of the stick. Every piece of natural wood will have a curve or warp, no matter how slight. As you construct the bow, be mindful of the curve.

5.       Shape the bow. Ideally, you will want the bow to be strong (and hence thicker) in the centre.

6.       The piece of wood that you select probably will be thicker at one end than the other. Begin at the thinner end, trimming off side twigs and whittling off the bark. 

 When shaping the bow, make sure to shave wood of the inside of the curve (belly) of the bow only. Otherwise, the bow, most likely, will break on the first use.

Don’t cut into the wood very deeply, because any notches into the wood will create weak spots, which in turn can cause the bow to break…Something you do not want to happen.

7.       When the bark and twigs are all removed for the entire length of the limb, you have a blank or “bow staff”. 

 Locate the centre of the bow staff, and allow a six-inch space for the handgrip (this will be the thickest part of the finished bow). The thinner end of the bow staff should be shaped (whittled) first , because there is less wood to remove (DO NOT WHITTLE THE BACK OF THE BOW OR STAFF)and it will serve as the “model/template” for the reduction of wood in the thicker end of the staff. The thickness of each bow end should taper smoothly and continuously from the handgrip to the tip, but the tip needs to be thick enough to hold a notch for the bow string without breaking. A typical thickness will be ¾ to 1 inch at the handgrip to ¼ inch at the tip. The cross section through the bow end should be more and more like a flattened oval as you move away from the rounded oval of the handgrip.

8.       Once both ends have been whittled into their tapers, cut notches to hold the bow string; use your “ stock-man”, folding belt, or sheath knife. Cut the notches about 1 to 2 inches from each end of the bow. The notches should be in the shape of a half-moon on the back of the bow.

9.       The bowstring will be attached (tied, using a slipknot) permanently to one end while the other end should have notches whittled so that the bowstring loop can be slipped on and off. This means that the notch must hold the loop securely in place while the bow is bent for use and the string tight. Tightly wrap the bow with a wet strip of gut, leather, or raw hide, if available, around the centre two thirds of the bow (before stringing) and let it dry naturally. This will give your bow extra strength to resist breakage and should allow you to project arrows at a greater velocity. You can also carve a notch into the grip part of the bow to rest your arrows on and keep them from wobbling once the bow is pulled back.

10.   SELECT A BOW STRING. The string can be made of rawhide, sinew, thin nylon rope, hemp or linen cord, fishing line; strands of cotton, ordinary cotton twine, vines, or even snare wire. If you are lost in the bush or wilderness it may be very difficult to find a suitable string, and you may need to try a variety of materials before you find one that has the necessary strength. The string should not be stretchy, as the power comes from the bow, not the string. Bow strings most frequently used by the North American Native were made of sinew (animal back or leg tendon), rawhide or gut. Occasionally, although they are a lot more labour intensive and require much more skill to produce; plant fibres such as inner bark of basswood, slippery elm, or cherry trees were used, Nettles, milkweed, and dog-bane are also suitable fibres. Well-made plant fibre strings are far superior to string made from animal fibres because it holds the most weight while resisting stretching and remains strong in damp conditions.        
      When testing draw weight, never "dry fire" or let go of the bowstring without an arrow on it. Such practice can cause the bow to break. 
     When the bow is not in use, the bowstring should be unstrung to save the bow from fatigue. The bow will hold its strength a lot longer. Also, as the wood of the bow dries out, the wood can become fragile and subject to breakage if pulled too far. Native North Americans would rub animal fat into their bows to keep them from drying out. You can do the same with any lanolin based hand cream. you should do this at least once a  month.

©Al (Alex-Alexander) D Girvan 2012 All rights reserved.